Date:  Tue Apr 10, 2001 1:47pm

Hi,
I have just recently gotten off paxil. Though it is still a rough 
going I have only been totally off for a bout a week now.

Last fall I went off paxil unkowningly cold turkey. Since it was non-
addictive I didn't think there would be a problem.  After about a 
week I had sever nauciousness (thought I was pregnant).  But the 
realy problems began after about 2 to 3 weeks.  

I was working part -time to get out of the house I have 3 small 
children.  At work the zaps were so bad my vision would just go white 
at times.  During one of those episodes I passed out hitting my head 
on the floor and having to go to the ER.  I passed out on several 
other occasions.  Sometimes due to the extreme vertigo or the 
zaps/white-outs.  I became so weak that I couldn't walk up the stairs 
unless I crawled. I had heart palpitations as well.

I went for every test known to mankind.  From ecchocardiograms to 
about 50 different blood tests and ultrasounds.  They found of course 
nothing.  I really thought that I was going to die and was even 
trying to figure out who I thought could help raise my kids.

The only thing my doctor could come up with was chronic fatigue 
symdrome and what was the treatment? Paxil but at an even stronger 
dose.  It was quite amazing my recovery was so fast.  But even then 
it didn't click in.  It was when i did some research of paxil on the 
web (due to the weight gain and sexual side effects) that I found the 
real answers.

One good thing to come out of this though is I have finally made the 
doctor see what this drug can do in the long term.  Maybe he will not 
be so fast to prescribe it unless it is an absolute medical 
neccessity.

Wendy