Date: Tue Mar 6, 2001 4:17pm Hi everyone, My name is Katrina.I have been readying all the posts for the last few weeks. I thought it's time I wrote. I have been trying to get off Paxil for 3 years, unsucessfully. I try every 2 -3 months but cannot do it. Usually I give up when I am trying to work. I am a hair stylist so have to be up beat for all my clients. This is extremly hard. I start crying or freaking out at work, its either quitting on the spot or taking 10 mg of Paxil. I need my job. This attempt, I am actually on my second week of 7 mg and doing better than I ever have before. When I start freaking (shakes, headzaps, feeling of going crazy etc) I take Choline and Inositol. It doesnt really make me feel better, but it does stop me from running out of my shop or from doing something stupid like quitting. (I love my job when I am on a full dose of Paxil). I have to stop as my love life has happened maybe 3-4 times a year. My husband has been patient, but I feel like a cold fish. I dont want to be touched. Not even cuddled. I have also put on 40 pounds which is not a lot compared to other people, but I am only 5ft 1inch. And last but not least I want to feel again. I want to laugh and cry. I only had mild depression when I was put on Paxil. Everytime I wanted to get off my doctors (had many) said I needed it. I believed them for a while because my dad had manic depression. He committed suicide because the courts kept committing him to mental hospitals. The drugs they gave him was to stop his manic episodes. However if he was not manic he did not want to live. So they killed him as they did not pay attention to what he was saying. Anyway back to my story. The doctors think that because of family history I need to be on drugs the rest of my life. They even tried to put my 16 year old daughter on Lithium. But I would not allow it. I am so desperate to get off Paxil that if I cant do it I will go to another SSRI just till I get Paxil out of my systim. Paxil and Zoloft seem to be the worst to come off. I want to thank everyone for this site. Sometimes you need to feel you are not alone. Katrina Date: Tue Mar 6, 2001 11:45pm Response1: Hi Katrina. I'm sorry to hear about your dad. In my experience, these doctors do too much labelling and not enough listening. Well done for not letting your daughter go on the drugs. I just want to say hang in there. I know it's really difficult. I went through a few months of sheer hell when I was trying to come off Prozac but by that time, I'd read enough about it to know that what I was experiencing was not the illness but the withdrawal syndrome associated with these SSRIs. My heart goes out to you because Seroxat (sorry, I mean Paxil - it is known as Seroxat here in the UK) is supposed to be even worse than Prozac to come off. I went through sheer hell trying to get off the Prozac so god knows what you must be going through. Remember the group is here. I've only been a member for about a week or so now but I've felt really encouraged and inspired by everybody here. Despite what everyone has been through, they have found the strength to help and support each other. It's amazing how we can find the strength from somewhere just as we think that what little strength we had has gone. I found a product called Calmag (calcium and magnesium) which is natural, was an excellent soother for withdrawals. I wasn't aware of it when I was coming off the tablets (although I know several people who have used it whilst withdrawing from these drugs and they swear by it) but I used it when I gave up smoking. It's also very good for stressful situations as I found out recently when my uncle who I was very close to died. Good luck and don't give up. Ramo Date: Tue Mar 6, 2001 5:48pm Response2: Katrina, welcome to the group, I am so sorry you have to be here. You might need some therapy, or maybe you might need to find your connection with God, BUT YOU DONT NEED PAXIL, your father killed himself, that is enough to make anyone depressed, that is NORMAL to feel some sadness, I am sorry about your father. Anyway, Katrina, these drugs make people really really sick, I dont know how many people are in the mental hospitals because of the drugs. You will read story after story about how these drugs took a small episode of depression or insomnia or maybe even a little anxity and increased it by 1000, everything you described is the Paxil, I have heard it over and over. Paxil I believe, comes in liquid form, that is a good way to get off, do it really really slow, we have a section in the "files" section that can tell you how to get off. You will get better but it will take time and some discomfort. Stick with us and ask as many questions as you want. I hope we can help. And what ever you do, do not give your daugher these drugs, or you will loose her forever. I have so many stories of kids commiting suicide on these drugs, or doing crazy things like the school shootings you are hearing about, everyone of these kids have been on these drugs, I am proud of you for standing up to the DR and saying NO ! Don't let them convince you, they always try. You have to be stronger then them, at least more knowledgeable. God bless, Cynthia Date: Tue Mar 6, 2001 6:11pm Response3: Hi Katrina, Feel very welcome to ProzacAwareness. It's remarkable how your story exactly describes how the doctors keep new generations of a family drugged and how both parties are able to fall into the same trap ! You are a very wise woman Katrina. You are stopping the madness here, since you already started, to keep them away from your daughter. No, you DON'T need to be on Paxil whole of your life. You may not even take Paxil whole of your life ! It's simply "approved" by the FDA to take it no longer then 1 year because the "tests" where simply not that long. Even shorter, but Trisha can tell you more about this. And DON"T switch to another SSRI !!! Did you know that you can buy Paxil in it's liquid form (oral-suspension)? The oral-suspension is supposedly for kids, just ask your doctor for it. It will be more helpful to you to wean off more slowly. I am sorry to here from your dad, it's so terribly sad. All I can say to you is: Don't let them get to your daughter like they did to your dad ! Charly Date: Sat Mar 10, 2001 1:37am Hi everyone, I really need help with the anxiety attacks I have been getting every day. I am still on 7 mg of paxil and dont want to go to 5mg till the anxiety is under control. Any ideas. Please!!!!!! I am so scared I will give up yet again and return to this disgusting drug. The head zaps and dizziness are getting better though. All thoughts are welcome. Thankyou, Katrina Date: Sat Mar 10, 2001 3:00am Response1: Katrina, the only way I can get through the anxiety attacks is to get moving. I clean, walk,etc. and visualize a calm setting. It takes up to 30 minutes, but it helps. If im in a situation to where I cant move I take slow moderately deep breaths and count in my head or say to myself that I can control this. It's the moods I can't deal with. The outbursts of sobbing. Anyone got any ideas for this? Chris Date: Sat Mar 10, 2001 4:16am Response2: Katrina, my gosh, I had the worst case of panic. My first panic attack lasted 3 1/2 straight weeks. It was torture! The best thing that I could do was read the Bible. It talks alot about anxiety in the Bible. Katrina you will get better, look at me, my last panic attack was Jan. 3rd over 2 months ago, and I was having them every day... Cynthia