pregnant , or paxil withdrawal????

[smaug]

Hi Ladies!
I was starting to think that I was having very early signs of pregnancy --- nausea, sensitive to smells, dizzy, tired, "spacey", and weepy. Let me backtrack. We made love, I realized it could be my ovulation window, so I immediately went from my normal 10 mgs of pax down to 5. After 3 days of this I started getting the aforementioned symptoms. Thinking I could be preggo ( ) I stopped the 5 mgs totally. So I am looking way into my symptoms, thinking I MUST be pregnant!! (one week after l.m. session) I am feeling "stoned" and thinking I am one of those women experiencing the magic of feeling conception happen. ( I was reading the thread of early pregnancy signs on "i'm Pregnant" thread)
So today I am extremely dizzy so I think I will look up paxil withdrawal on the net. To my dismay, my symptoms match withdrawal.
Has anyone experienced this? How was coming off of ssri? Now I am not only off my meds, but I am sad I got my hopes up about a new baby. I don't want to go back on paxil, I was planning to get off anyway to conceive. Anyone have withdrawal? It sucks. And I think I may go back to 5 mgs for a week or so and taper down again. Any suggestions? Thanks!

[mom at home]

I would taper down very slowly to help alliviate the withdrawl symptoms. I am on zoloft and am thinking of getting off it soon. I have heard that I should go off over the course of several weeks and will plan to do it this way. I had withdrawl symptoms going off another med and it was awful. I won't do that again. And, from what I've heard it's even more important going off Paxil to avoid withdrawl symptoms.

Alison

[gilnikche]

Have you talked to the doctor that prescribed the Paxil? I do know from my reading that you should not suddenly stop taking SSRI's.

[smaug]

Yes, I am going to my doc tomorrow. I was so convinced I was pregnant, that I hurried off way too quick. Bad, bad move. I am back on about 5 mgs. Hard to cut them exact. On this website, they said you could get liquid paxil. It makes it easier to taper off accurately. I am going to do that and hopefully be totally off in a month. I am feeling a million times better today.
Thanks for posting, gilnikche and mom at home.
Mom at home-- what do you think of zoloft? If I ever go on meds again, I was going to try it instead of paxil. Hopefully I won't need to though.
Thanks again!



Jenny

[mom at home]

smaug,

The zoloft works fine for my anxiety problems. I don't like being on it but I would feel that way about any meds. I have not taken paxil, but don't think I would. After researching all the SSRI's and other AD's I thought zoloft sounded the best to me.

[chocobotkid]

PAXIL is actually being sued currently. it's over the fact that their drug has horrible side effects. my friend went off it col turkey and we almost had to get her checked in to the hospital. so that's probably what it is. zoloft is much better for no side effects.

[mom at home]

However, you wouldn't want to go off zoloft or any AD cold turkey. I decreased my dose by a very small amount and was having a hard time. I think the recommendation is to take a month or so to go off.

[smaug]

good news, bad news

Hi everyone! Thank you for responding. As it turns out, I am pregnant. I am extremely excited, and extremely fearful. I am going off paxil slowly with the help of my doctor. But I am so scared what it could have already done to my baby. I am 4 weeks. So when I was going off paxil before I had just gotten pregnant. I am very, very nervous. But I am praying everything will be all right. My doctor was like, "if you are pregnant, that isn't a cause to get off paxil. people have even been prescribed it while pregnant." YIKES Not me, no way no how. I cant help but wish I would have gotten off it as soon as I got my post-partem period. Now I wait.....

[gilnikche]

smaug,

I thought that it would give you some relief to know that I took Zoloft through my last pregnancy & my babe had no problems at all. She is now a exuberant, healthy 2 year old. Be well & please do not be so hard on yourself

[earthmamafor3]

zoloft in case of ppd after new baby

Hey smaug
I have worked with many many women who are drug addicts and taken frightful amounts of street drugs and ended up with healthy babies. I have known many women who have been completely "pure" during their pregnancies and had babies with difficulties. It comes down to your intention for your pregnancy and baby and birth. If you believe it will be healthy and visualize a beautiful, healthy child and loving, easy birth, then it will be. I believe what you fear you will attract. I agree with Carla, don't be too hard on yourself!
I have taken zoloft while breastfeeding for ppd and it has helped tremendously. Also, so far I am having no side effects while coming off. I work in the field of mental health and know that paxil has some pretty gnarly side effects for some and none for others. zoloft seems to have less for most people. It will all be well, sweet lady! Taking good care of yourself is the first step to being a great mama!
I wish you a healthy, joyous pregnancy and beautiful babymoon in November!
Deb

[charmarty]

Wow after reading your thread it got me thinking too bc I just qiut paxil cold turkey.Not intentionally of coarse,but I did.I did a goggle search to look for more info and I came across this.You really should read it.

http://www.commonname.com/english/se...le&query=paxil




http://www.paxilinjurylawyer.com/html/faq.html

[lauraess]

pregnant and paxil

Glad to hear that you got advice about the paxil and that you are pregnant!!! dont worry so much, chances are good, take care, be positive, this helps tons. I also am currently tapering off paxil that i've taken for 17 months for ppd and at first was told by dr and pshchologist to cut it in half from 20! how stupid. Felt like S$^*! then I went online to look up and learned about pill cutters and tapering down SLOWLY. they say that as you near the least amount you should be careful. I share your concern of paxil and baby in utero. Paxil helped a lot but I am not a drug taker and the baby is very fragile, but try to not worry.
Good luck
Laura