Withdrawal: Paxil > Zoloft > Prozac
Looks like the serotonin anti-depressants (ie. SSRIs and agonists) might create physical dependence, and thus can cause some serious withdrawal. Surprise, surprise! This article from the NYT points out that since serotonin is used throughout the body, including in the digestive system, there can be some very strange withdrawal effects. Interesting point about how drugs with a longer half-life produce less severe withdrawal because they leave the system more gradually.
[Edited 11/2006 to rectify incorrect use of addiction-dependence terminology -Neville]
Click Read More for the whole article.
May 25, 2004
THE CONSUMER
How to Stop Depression Medications: Very Slowly
By MARY DUENWALD
Now that the Food and Drug Administration has warned Americans taking antidepressants to be on the lookout for potentially harmful side effects, including severe restlessness and suicidal thinking, some people may end up stopping the drugs. But going off antidepressants can bring its own problems.
Stopping cold turkey can cause an array of troublesome symptoms, the most common being dizziness, which can last for days on end. Flu-like feelings, including nausea, headache and fatigue, are also common, as are intense feelings of anxiety, irritability or sadness. Some patients experience alarming sensations of tingling or burning in various parts of the body; ringing in the ears; blurred vision; or flashing lights before the eyes. Some people even describe a feeling of shock waves pulsing through their arms and legs, as if they had been zapped with a jolt of electricity, a condition sometimes called lightning-bolt syndrome.
“The feeling can be really abrupt, like a quick jerk of the muscle,” said Dr. Richard C. Shelton, a professor of psychiatry at Vanderbilt University. “It’s not painful, but it can be very frightening to people.”
Internet bulletin boards and Web sites devoted to antidepressant withdrawal chronicle the crying spells, vertigo and nightmares that people sometimes experience.
“I feel like my brain is floating in Jell-O, slamming into the sides of my skull every time I move my head or my eyes,” one person wrote.
Another described palpitations, night sweats and “bloody hideous nightmares.”
To avoid such symptoms, or at least hold them to a minimum, the drugs need to be tapered gradually in most cases, and that means quitting under a doctor’s supervision. Psychiatrists say it is unwise for people who are taking antidepressants simply to quit on their own.
In its warning, issued in March, the F.D.A. urged doctors to closely monitor patients taking antidepressants, especially during the first weeks of therapy or when changing dosage. Signs of trouble, the agency said, could include suicidal thoughts, severe restlessness, anxiety, hostility or insomnia. Though an association between antidepressants and suicidal thinking or behavior has not been proved, unpublished studies suggesting the possibility of such a link in children and adolescents have caused concern. The F.D.A. is still investigating the issue.
The drugs most likely to produce withdrawal symptoms act on the brain chemical serotonin. These drugs work by blocking the action of a protein in the brain that normally transports serotonin out of the synapses, the spaces between brain cells. With the transporter protein blocked, serotonin lingers in the synapses, and that can have a positive effect on mood.
When the drug is taken away, there is suddenly less serotonin in the synapses. Serotonin receptors in the brain, accustomed to a larger supply of the neurotransmitter, may take days or weeks to adjust, said Dr. Ephrain C. Azmitia, a psychopharmacologist at New York University.
“You get a precipitous drop in all the things that serotonin does in the brain, including its effects on appetite, sleep, sensory perception and emotions,” Dr. Shelton said.
Not everyone experiences withdrawal symptoms. Studies suggest that only 10 to 20 percent of patients have significant problems, said Dr. Jerrold F. Rosenbaum, chief of psychiatry at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. And some patients find the effects less intense or bothersome than others.
Doctors say people who have been taking especially large doses of a drug for many years may be somewhat more vulnerable. Which drug a patient is taking also makes a difference. Some are stronger than others, and some are metabolized by the body more quickly.
The longer a drug’s half-life - the time it takes for half the amount of drug in the body to be eliminated - the less likely it is to cause withdrawal problems. Eli Lilly’s Prozac, for example, has a long half-life, remaining in the body for days or even weeks after someone stops taking it. As a result, people who take it are less likely to experience withdrawal effects.
“With Prozac, it can take six weeks for any symptoms to occur,” Dr. Rosenbaum said, and even then the effects are mild, with about 5 to 6 percent of people experiencing mild dizziness.
GlaxoSmithKline’s Paxil, on the other hand, generally leaves the body in a day or two. Effexor, made by Wyeth, disappears faster still.
“When you look at these drugs with a very short half-life, almost everybody who quits abruptly experiences at least some symptoms, some dizziness,” Dr. Shelton said. “And about half of people have more significant symptoms.”
For this reason, psychiatrists advise patients taking antidepressants to avoid skipping doses. People who take Paxil or Effexor sometimes experience withdrawal symptoms when they forget to take their pill for a day or two.
“With Effexor, if you miss your morning dose, you can be in withdrawal by the afternoon,” said Dr. Joseph P. Glenmullen, a psychiatrist at Harvard and the author of “Prozac Backlash.”
Zoloft, made by Pfizer, is somewhere in the middle - more likely than Prozac to cause withdrawal symptoms, but much less likely to do so than Paxil and Effexor. Celexa and Lexapro, antidepressants that are made by Forrest Laboratories and that act on serotonin, are also somewhere in the intermediate range, Dr. Rosenbaum said.
Cymbalta, a new antidepressant from Lilly that is expected to win F.D.A. approval later this year, will probably also fall in the middle, he said.
Wellbutrin, an antidepressant also marketed as Zyban, does not work directly on serotonin in the brain. As a result, doctors say, the drug, made by GlaxoSmithKline, does not seem to cause withdrawal symptoms when patients stop taking it.
The withdrawal symptoms do not mean that antidepressants are addictive, experts say. People who are coming off the drug do not crave it, as addicts might crave heroin or cocaine, and they do not seek higher and higher doses over time.
“There’s a lot of misperception about that,” said Dr. Alan F. Schatzberg, a psychopharmacologist who is chairman of psychiatry at Stanford University School of Medicine.
For that reason, many doctors describe the effects produced by stopping antidepressants as a “discontinuation syndrome” rather than as withdrawal.
Yet the symptoms can be troublesome enough to prompt some patients to go back on their medications.
To help patients stop taking an antidepressant, most doctors use a strategy of gradually tapering the drug over time. With Prozac, stepping down the dosage for a week to 10 days may be enough to get patients off it comfortably, Dr. Shelton said.
With Paxil or Effexor, on the other hand, the process may take many weeks or months. Dr. Shelton said he often brings his patients down from the drugs in five-milligram increments, with each stage lasting from five days to a week. A person taking 50 milligrams of Paxil, for example, would be advised to go down to 45 milligrams for one week, then step down to 40 milligrams, and so on.
The riskiest period, Dr. Schatzberg said, comes at the end, when even small increments of tapering can have a big impact on serotonin.
“The taper at the bottom end often needs to go slower than it does at the top end,” Dr. Schatzberg said.
For people who are having difficulty withdrawing from Paxil or Effexor, doctors sometimes prescribe a three-day dose of Prozac toward the end of the withdrawal period. With its longer half-life, Prozac can ensure that serotonin levels readjust more gradually.
Even when patients are entirely off the drugs, they may still experience some symptoms, but usually only for a few days and rarely for more than two weeks, doctors say.
Sadness and anxiety that persist longer than that may be signs that a patient is experiencing a return of the depression. So it is important to distinguish withdrawal from a relapse of illness.
“Just because you’re stopping a drug,” Dr. Rosenbaum said, “doesn’t mean you don’t need it.”
June 14th, 2004 at 12:46 am
Been on paxil 9 years. started 20 mg. went up to 40 mg. after on a few years. Worked great first 3 years, no depression, no PMS, no CFC, no anxiety. When entering menopause, it didnt help at all. Put on Prempro immediately felt better.
on that 3 years trying to take it 1/2 dose to see if it still workd. Developed last year gall bladder diseasd, had it removed, Had flu shot, got sick in Dec. Wound up with 2 time of mono/cfs. this time I think I have fibromyalgia also, ache awfully. especialy buttocks hi[s shoulders and legs. Was so tired all the time , rial on provigil, seems to help, ut still have CFS;, just don’t fall asloop driving or watching a movie! I stopped cold turkey, after 3 days went into depression again, even though I am now diagnosed with bi-polar depression. Taking 100 mg serequil each day, ent from 50 mg to 25 mg. for dthree weeks. Then 12.5 f or 3 weeks, and try to cut pils in quarters to take 6.5 for a few weeks and hope the seroquil will lkep me sane and not ry all the time.
July 26th, 2004 at 5:03 pm
been on zoloft 100 mg for about 3 years. went to 50 mg a day for 4 days, then stopped on my own.
all i feel now is a little nausea and lips are tingling on and off. anyone experience similar things?
August 14th, 2004 at 2:37 pm
I stopped Zoloft cold turkey about 8 days ago because I felt it contributed to my weight gain. I had been on Celexa for 2 years and my doctor switched me to Zoloft this past Fall.
I have been experiencing light headedness and horrific nightmares. Should I take one every other day and then taper off to 3 a week then 2 etc. Please reply asap as i hate going to sleep.
Elizabeth
August 26th, 2004 at 2:44 pm
Elizabeth,
It’s unfortunate to hear about the side-effects you’re experiencing. Unfortunately, none of us here at Neurodudes are doctors (well, MDs anyways).
This dosage question really sounds like something that you should consult a doctor about. Or look into one of the many online support groups that include the opinions of prescribing doctors, such as this one: http://www.medhelp.org/HealthTopics/Zoloft.html
hope that helps… Neville
October 8th, 2004 at 9:33 pm
I started taking 10 mg of Lexapro for depression about 5 or 6 months ago and was soon thereafter moved up to 20 mg. I eventually decided the medication was proving to be too expensive for me ($70 a month!) to continue taking & it never seemed to help me all that much anyway, so I quit cold turkey about a week ago without a second thought (my pills ran out - no big deal, right?). I had never been warned about any huge withdrawal symptoms from not taking the anymore & thought I would be fine. I didn’t notice anything for about the first 3 days, then it hit me like a ton of bricks. As everyone else has said, the withdrawal is unbearable - extreme dizziness & nausea all the time. It’s only relieved by the few hours of sleep I’m able to get each night when I’m not having hot/cold flashes. Every second of my day I’m reminded of how crappy I feel. I describe it to others as a combination of feeling extremely seasick & hungover. My body feels numb & I can’t exert more then a little energy or I almost fall over. I don’t remember ever feeling like this in my life & I hardly have the strength to do anything. I’m going to see a doctor tomorrow & did not realize until I found this site & others that what I’m feeling is obviously from the side-effects of withdrawal. I’m worried from what I’ve read because these symptoms may go on for quite awhile & I don’t know how I’m going to survive it…what a nightmare.
October 10th, 2004 at 10:45 pm
I have been taking Zoloft for nearly 7 years because every time I tried to stop taking it I thought the withdrawl symptoms were relapses and the doctors did not help at all until this new info was released about withdrawl, now I am trying to stop because of expense and I am feeling like a hungover jello head, with vertigo. This really sucks… Has anyone tried SAM-e for depression or to help withdrawl, just wanted to get some info????? Please let me know if you have. Thanks
November 4th, 2004 at 11:42 am
I have been on Lexapro for one year taking 30 mg a day, then this past July my doctor told me to decrease Lexapro to 15 mg and add Welbutrin 300 mg together. This was supposed to give me more energy and increase my sex drive. About a week and 1/2 ago, I was supposed to pick up my precriptions at the drugstore, however…. to busy and then by the time 4 days had past and I was not taking anything, I thought why should I still continue?? I feel fine!! Well after about 5 days of being completely off both of the medicine’s (cold turkey) I have been SICK!! Total withdrawel symptoms… first 4 days I cried everyday, nausea, diareaha, hot and cold sweats, nightmare’s, and headaches. It now has been a total of two weeks that I have been off the med’s the doctor’s told me it should last for about 2 weeks. I wanted to send this email to let anyone know “Do Not go off ANY antidepressants cold turkey” This has been a horrible experience, I do not need to go back on the medicine’s however the withdrawel symptoms are horrible! And most of all: remember they usually will not start until about 4 to 5 days after you stop taking the meds, so you would not know if you would have withdrawel symptoms until it is too late.
November 4th, 2004 at 2:13 pm
I’ve been on 20 mg Paxil daily for about 5 years. I would like to come off and have been taking 15 mg daily for the last 10 days or so. The last couple of days I feel agitated and I have a heightened sense of awareness of everything I say. I’m sleeping fine and I’m concentrating fine. I’m wondering whether the negative symptoms will go away eventually. I really would like to get off these meds but I’m hoping my quality of life without them will not be like the last couple of days. Does anybody know whether this “discontinuation syndrome” will go away (I went on the meds originally because of tension, irritability, generally high level of anxiety without any particular incident occurring)?
November 7th, 2004 at 6:26 pm
well looks like I am finally accepting that im a temporary phycosis and severe depression. The anxiety medications (Valium ex..) and pain medications (the narcotics) have not helped me at all and only kept me in denial of my real symtoms. My new doctor has just put me on zoloft and seroquil for depression, panic attacks, nerotic thinking and what every else the medications are used for. I just hope they work, so I can get through college and move on with my life. Can anyone tell me if these medications will be helpfull, or am I just waisting money>:D
November 17th, 2004 at 6:21 pm
I am 50, going off Paxil, and have been feeling a blend of sick and crazy. Now I see that it’s not “me”, or my hormones, but the withdrawal. I’ve been doing it gradually over the past months (from 10mg, then every other day just 5, then 5, now every other day none. nausea, dizziness, sweats, heat in my head so bad that now my lips are getting chapped, no sleep because of the sweats and thirst, and feeling dirty. I thought it was the air that was the problem, but now I think it’s a detoxification. I’m drinking thyme herbal tea (just put some springs into boiled h2O, is a lung purifier. But shit. I can’t read on the bus anymore, and of course there are the weird mood swings, like a bizarre pms. Is anyone else out there my age, and withdrawing? I don’t know what’s healthy and what’s not. Thanks.
November 22nd, 2004 at 3:55 am
Been on Prozac 40 mg for 10 yrs with various episodes of trying to stop and failing. Stopped eventually in September 2004 and have been three months without the drug. The first lot of withdrawal symptoms were heinous - flu feelings, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, fainting, tinnitus, electric shocks. Now 3 months later I just cry a lot - at everything whether happy or sad. I feel as though my emotions are taking a really high impact exercise class. Frustrating though - everything seems heightened. I would feel safer back on the meds where all is calm.
November 23rd, 2004 at 1:58 am
Hello all,
I feel bad that this discussion is going on here, because I feel like you’re more likely to find other people to talk to in a site specifically dedicated to support groups for this sort of thing. I searched around Google for a little while and found this “BrainTalk” site — it seems to be pretty reputable, as its connected to a Dr. at Massachussets General Hospital. Here’s a link to a Google search for “Zoloft+Withdrawal” on that site:
http://www.google.com/search?q=zoloft+withdrawal+site%3Abrain.hastypastry.net&sourceid=firefox&start=0&start=0&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8
December 3rd, 2004 at 1:14 pm
I have had very bad dizzy spells on & off for years (I have also been on & off various anti-depressants), the spells can last for days, weeks & sometimes months. I have seen a variety of Drs at some of the top medical schools on the East Coast. One Dr felt that there was a strong possibility that Prozac was somehow part of the equation since months of dizzy spells mysteriously dissappeared a short while after starting prozac again. I recently stopped taking Prozac (tapered off as prescribed by a Dr) & the dizzines has returned with a vengeance. My dizziness has been misdiagnosed for years & the Prozac relationship seems to be worth investigating. Any experience with this? Any thoughts?
December 10th, 2004 at 11:33 pm
Anyone feel like this. My neighborhood is very noisey and I want to start to poisen the animals that bark all night and the roosters crow all day. My ears are so senstitive and I was wondering if this is from the medication. I was taking Zoloft with no 100% feeling and then switched to Lexapro for a month now and I went off cold turkey. I’m sick of feeling “not like myself” anymore, and I feel as if the medication is no help at all. So what IS worse….d
December 16th, 2004 at 10:21 pm
I have been taking prozac for a year (10 mg a day) and have stopped it 3 weeks ago because I was overseas and was not able to fill up my prescription. Last week, I have experienced head shocks and have continued up until today. I’ve consulted my psiachiatrist and she’s put me back on prozac, same dosage. I have not taken the pill just yet, I am not sure if I should just endure this head shocks hopefully it may go away in a few weeks or get back on prozac for a few more months and gradually come off it later. Please kindly advise. Thank you.
December 16th, 2004 at 10:40 pm
I have been on paxil for about 6 years now. I have been weening myself off for about 6 months now and boy am i having a hard time. I went from 40 mg to 1 yellow 12.5mg. I did it slowly but i think i really need something else to help get off of it completly. I am not saying i dont need anything but it just seems like paxil is very hard to get out of your system.My Doctor gives me samples of it because i have no insurance.He doesnt even know that im down to 12.5mg.This past week i decided that i was going to stop taking it completely, and i have been a maniac. I have had nightmares terrible. Dizzy all the time, Crying all the time , nausea, feels like my head is 1000000 pounds. Last night I had a panic attack and this morning i went to the doc and picked up my sample. I’m so mad. My doctor still doesnt know he thinks im still taking 40mg. I will fill him in after christmas.But just wanted to chime in on how everyone else feels when weened off meds.I’m a 36 year old maniac. I am going to try a small dose of prozac if i can ever ween off paxil. It’s funny how your whole life seems to be turned upside down when stopping medicines. I don’t remember feeling this psycho before I went on meds.
Does anyone have any suggestions about prozac?
December 18th, 2004 at 7:40 pm
hello
December 18th, 2004 at 7:43 pm
I have weaned off Paxil over the last three weeks, and have basically been to hell and back. However, I recommend running or other intense exercise to alleviate the zaps, hot flashes, dizziness. I also took Sea sickness pills as some days I was convinced I was sailing around Cape Horn. Back in the gutter with depression though, so starting prozac today. I would not even recommend Paxil to my worst enemy after suffering those terrible withdrawals
December 27th, 2004 at 11:46 am
I have gradually weened myself off Paxil, and Welbutrin. Everything was going well until about 5 days past the completion of all the medication.(I took the highest dozage of Paxil daily, and Welbutrin as well for about 10 years.) I am late 50’s. When does this problem ever stop, I mean with depression? I thought when I got older I might see some light. I am having the typical and horrible side effects , crying at everything, even at nothing, so it is not good at this point. Yesterday, I started the crying thing and my spouse asked me to take a lorazapam, a pill for anxiety that I rarely take.. This helps, folks. If you need a half pill or a whole pill, you be the judge, but we can lorazapam to help comfort us somewhat through these hard days of withdrawals from our antidepressants. Lorazapam to me, is like taking an aspirin and I may not need another for another month or so. I have taken it this way for years and it has never been a habit forming product for me, but has been that little life line to getting me through. I hoped I have helped somebody out there. A final comment about these symptomogies, Trazadone is a wonderful drug used for depression but more for restlessness and sleeplessness and the side effects are none existant as I took it when I worked so that I could sleep at night. So for those of us that need some rest while coming off these drugs, Trazadone may be an answer. My physician gives it to his dad. I love the the results as there are no hang overs, just a peaceful night sleep. Good luck.
January 1st, 2005 at 1:13 pm
Have been on Paxil for about 6 years and decided to take myself off the drug, simply because of the addiction to it, and the cost.
Don’t know if withdrawel systems would cause some strangh sensation that radiate to my head at any given time, lasting only a few seconds, but happen at will. Also, been having feeling of cold hands and feet and all over my entire body, and then minutes later feel as though I am on fire. Is anyone out there experiencing these side effects.
January 5th, 2005 at 10:35 pm
I have been on Seroquil for 1 year and have gained alot of weight. Taking 300 mg. a night for sleep. Also taking lexapro for same amount of time.
Feel much better than on prozac, paxil.
Any adult out there with similar stories. What about weight gain.
January 11th, 2005 at 6:24 pm
In the last 3 years i have been to the max on Paxil,Paxil CR, Effexor, without relief but now having good results on 75mg zoloft.I recently decided to start to reduce the dose and hopefully stop altogether.Went from 75mg to 50mg ,after two weeks became sick feeling and had chills that would not leave plus feelings of depression and anxiety started to return.Decided to go back to 75mg and continue with it.I came to the conclusion that if i need to take this drug for the rest of my life to feel normal and healthy than so be it.This does not mean that i will not try to go off meds again at another time just not at this point.I will never forget the way anxiety/depression made me feel and i will not “learn to live with it” as many do just to simply not be taking medication or out of fear of addiction to it.I have been on 75mg Zoloft for about a year and the few side effects i had disappeared in a couple weeks after taking plus the anxiety/depression symptoms are no longer affecting my life.All in all DO NOT LOOK DOWN UPON YOURSELF for taking meds or stop for absurd reasons like fear of addiction or not having the money.Stay healthy and never stop smiling……………….
January 12th, 2005 at 6:38 pm
After an 18 hour blackout about 5 years ago, I was hospitalized, checked for every possible cause and finally told stress related migraines were all that was left. I had begun having migraines due to some serious family dysfunctions and believed that to be a valid diagnosis. Some weeks later, I began having horrific anxiety attacks, went to a physician and was placed on Paxil and Alprazolam. I have done my personal work and identified causes, made effort to correct quality of life threatening situations. Now, after almost five years, with great attention to detail and intelligent effort, I’ve come off the Paxil. Please, let me tell those of you who have not experienced Paxil withdrawal, it is Hell. Please look for other solutions prior to filling your system with a chemical that can easily turn away from helping and into hurting. I’m almost clean of the drug, but urge the medical system to be up front as to possible negative reactions of this drug in the average body. Out of curiosity, go to a search site and look up “Paxil Negative Side Effects” before beginning a long term relationship with the chemical. I bless each of you suffering a need to seek assistance to gain peace and comfort in your lives, but can assure you, long term use of Paxil is not the answer. Be well.
January 12th, 2005 at 9:19 pm
I have been taking Paxil since 1995 (about 9 years) before that, Zoloft since 1992. I am taking 20 mgs per day, and last year the dr. put me on wel… as well to stop smoking (300mg per day - 200 in am and 100 in pm). I also take 15 mg Buspar am, and 15 mg pm. I am 41 - and stopped taking these meds 3 days ago. Reading all of these messages scares me…do these withdrawal symptoms happen to everyone? I really really really want to get off of these medications and feel like myself…it would be nice not to be a bit of a zombie, and to actually care about things and have a sense of urgency about work again, and also to have a normal sex drive - my husband of 15 years would certainly be happier! I am just so tired of feeling just blah all the time… any suggestions to help alleviate symptoms, but to still be able to go cold turkey and not have to take any prescription medications would be appreciated…thanks - and best to all of you dealing with these medications!
January 13th, 2005 at 9:25 am
Dear Melanie,
Re your comments describing your Paxil experience dated Jan. 12th, 2005, 09:19 PM, may I encourage you NOT to attempt cold turkey withdrawal from any of the meds you mention unless under the direct care of a competent physician. I fully support you, and all others attempting to withdraw from such sensory altering drugs. The side effects are hellish, unknown to those of us given the scripts, but required to deal with the physiological and psychological assaults, leading to sensations of discomfort and insanity, that we know not to be true, but we also know to be real. I’ve never had such an evil invasion of my body and am pulling hard to keep my Self intact and urge you to do whatever it takes to do the same. At least until the worst assaults pass and there exists the possibility of a sane horizon somewhere in the future. I KNOW I’m not crazy. I do know I am not “right” and only pray this stage passes soon, for me, and for any other soul so damaged, suffering to survive. I offer endless praise to my Dr. T who is staying calm and nurturing as he attemts to put me back together, where another colleage, with good intention believed the pharmaceutical hype and led me into this living Hell. My best to you, each one. No judgement to anyone exept the greedy and lying pharmaceutical companies. They knew and placed income above integrity. Much love as you suffer back to complete health and sanity.
January 13th, 2005 at 11:39 am
Obviously quitting anti-depressants is very hard to do. You are unlikely to get much support from your doctors either. I recommend the website “paxilprogress” There are tons of people going through the same thing, and they can answer your questions and give support.
January 14th, 2005 at 3:07 pm
Since quitting prozac (generic) almost 2 weeks ago, I have been feeling really dizzy to the point I think I am going to pass out. I suspected it was withdrawal but also thought maybe it was fluid behind the ears from allergies. I have been taking some Sudefed almost the same amount of time with no results. After looking up the idea of this dizziness being related to the withdrawal I am now 99% certain that this dizziness is caused by withdrawal. I had been taking it for over 3 years and since then put on around 70 lbs. The weight gain is why I quit (being a side effect of an antidepressant). I have had no symptoms of depression come back yet.
January 15th, 2005 at 11:04 am
I have been weaning myself off effexor. It has been 15 days now and I am dizzy, cold and a number of other issues. Can anyone tell me how much longer this will last?
January 15th, 2005 at 4:25 pm
I was very depressed last year, was prescribed with LEXAPRO. Started the first week and felt high, could not drive, or function. Got off cold turkey the first week. Explained to the doctor I felt like I was on LSD. No problem, only because it was short week.
I became depressed again. ZOLOFT was prescribed to me. I became feeling so much better, positive, and became functional in life. The crying spells went away.
Because I have become so busy…happy…I forgot to get my next prescription. It has been 5 days, decided to continue without them. I am experiencing dizziness, naseau, palputations and a cold like headache. I have not had any bad dreams, or anything seriously scarey. Changed my eating habits, drink more water,exercise and more sleep. I will tell you my sex drive is coming back
Even with the setback on the withdrawals, I feel 1 million times better than I started off and continuing to build on where the zoloft left me positive. 
February 5th, 2005 at 9:58 am
I’ve been taking 20mg Paxil for 1 year now. Just recently cut doses in 1/2, and now cut out all together. The symptoms I’m experiencing are extreme moments of sadness, electric shocks in my arms/legs, head zaps, and crazy nightmares.
I’m pleased to see others posting this information online, as I was beginning to wonder if I was going nuts. At least I know that these withrawal symptoms are (unfortunately) common.
I’ve started a full detox program to see if the process can be helped along. So far so good… the symptoms are a little scary, but tolerable.
February 5th, 2005 at 12:11 pm
My father has been on Zoloft for 2 -3 years for minor depression. In December 2004 he stopped taking his Zoloft cold turkey and within a few weeks he had a complete mental breakdown. The reason he quit taking the Zoloft is because he felt good about things and decided it was time to get off the drug. As a result of the ensuing breakdown, he was immediately diagnosed as bipolar. He is a highly respected professional who had never shown any symptoms or predispositions for this condition. It’s been three weeks and things are very tough for everyone right now because he is no longer himself. He is slowly getting back some of his memory, personality and ability to interact but it is slow-going on an outpatient basis.
We are convinced that the sudden withdrawal from the Zoloft coupled with typical stress caused this extreme reaction. Has anyone else heard of such a thing? Thanks
February 5th, 2005 at 9:03 pm
I took Paxil for about 7 years. About 4 years into it, the Paxil stopped working and even seemed to make me more anxious, but I was unable to get off it at that time because the withdrawal symptoms were causing me to miss too much work. I kept taking it, and it still wasnt working for me, and I went through 2-3 years of depression and wondering what life was all about. Then, about 2 years ago, I decided to try SAM-e, not knowing that it is not recommended to take SAM-e when youre on Paxil. However, the effect on me was positive and dramatic. I suddenly had energy to do things after work and became very bold in expressing my creative side. I was truly excited about life and socially gregarious. However, I wasnt able to lose weight, and then found from various websites that it could be due to Paxil. So, in November 2004, I started tapering Paxil and was off my 40 mg in three weeks. I know for a fact that being on SAM-e helped ease the symptoms of going off Paxil, as one day I forgot to take SAM-e and it was the worst day, by far, Ive had since stopping Paxil. Now, 7 weeks after stopping Paxil, Im still having every single one of the awful withdrawal symptoms everyone talks about. The most helpful hint Ive read is when symptoms become unbearable, take a chip of Paxil (I take 1/16 of a 40 mg tablet), and within a couple of hours I feel so much better. 1 mg of melatonin has helped me sleep pretty well.
The SAM-e had a very positive effect on me while I was on Paxil–but, again, I have read that this is not recommended–and I am waiting to see if I still have the same great result from SAM-e once my Paxil withdrawal symptoms finally abate.
Its hard for me to believe that Paxil doesnt leave toxins in your body, as it leaves so many of us feeling so sick. I can certainly see why many people arent able to complete the withdrawal process.
February 28th, 2005 at 10:35 pm
I had taken prozac for 4 years and then stopped suddenly. Fool that I was/am. I was off for 5 months and after taking 20mg. for one week, my dose was upped to 40 mg. On march 09 I will have been on prozac for 2 months and have tremors and still do not feel normal. Some side effects are gone or diminished . Does anyone have any experience along this line and if so how long can it take to start its serotonin thing? I am sick of feeling empty with no joy in my life. Best regards , John
March 5th, 2005 at 2:12 pm
John, There is another big web site where you will find all kinds of help and support from very nice people. Here it is: http://www.paxilprogress.org. They also talk about drugs other than Paxil. Good luck!
[ed.: I fixed the link and removed this text: "I tried to put the address here, but this site wouldn't allow me to send the other web site address" "with spaces added by me and dots removed". sorry about blocking the link. we get a lot of spam advertising Paxil, so we have automated blockers]
March 6th, 2005 at 1:23 pm
I started withdrawal symptoms from trying to wean myself from Zoloft after going through a divorce and then selling and buying a house. I feel (still feel this) as though my head is an elevator, and my mind is crashing through all the floors in a building, and not quite stopping at any one floor. It’s as though I am dropping several levels down, each time, crashing instead of my mind settling at that floor. Sure, I could cry, I could go through a bunch of self-pity. I have made an appt with a therapist and hopefully she won’t put another bandaid on what is already a freakin’ nightmare. I did Seroquel, Luvox, and others, including Paxil, and I don’t know the difference anymore between an SSRI and a MAO or whatever. I just know the doctors don’t give a rat’s f*ck and I am just one more patient to them. A big pain in the rear to them. So, let’s give her a quick-fix - a dose of Zoloft!
March 6th, 2005 at 1:30 pm
I can’t believe I forgot to type this - Benadryl is what made my body relax and I was finally able to go to sleep without feeling I was “out of my skin.” It literally felt like I wanted to crawl out of my body, out of my skin. Not unlike PMS but worse. Some people won’t exhibit any symptoms perhaps. Benadryl, too, has the opposite effect on me (as does most meds, for me) - I was able to take it and feel drowsy, whereas most people might be hyper and not be able to sleep at all. I was able to take Benadryl when I was pregnant years ago due to hives - not sure now if the OB has changed its tack. Anyway, f*ck all these prescriptions that cost you $$ and you must eventually deal with your problems anyway. I *WILL* wean myself off this sh*t and even if I have to take Benadryl to do it!!!!! F*cking doctors don’t give a sh*t. Do you think they care about you - if so, they would be providing their services free of charge to the community. Instead they are getting kickbacks and God knows what else. Don’t make them any richer than they already are; they are human like us, and they have problems, perhaps even more. How can we expect THEM to help us, then.
March 6th, 2005 at 1:33 pm
P.P.S. No one wants to deal with someone who is going thru depression, anxiety, etc., so they label you (bipolar, etc.) and then tell you what you need to do. Do you know that you can’t always tell the diff between someone who is bipolar, and someone who is a crack whore? My brother was diagnosed as such, and he’s behind bars. On Zoloft, he wasn’t ‘himself’ but then again, he has done tons of illegal drugs, period.
March 11th, 2005 at 11:57 am
I have been on Paxil for several years. Began another antidepressant that sounds like Vellbutrin and started tapering off Paxil very gradually. Have been in SEVERE withdrawal for 4 weeks. Having difficulty determining whether the unrelenting depression I have been experiencing is due to depressive illness or Paxil withdrawal. I continue to have the “zaps” but less frequently. I will operate under the assumption that the depression is withdrawal as long as I continue to experience the physical symptoms of Paxil withdrawal.
March 15th, 2005 at 7:29 pm
I have been on every anti-depressant there is out there. My step dad shot him-self 3 years ago. Now the doctors have me on 20 mg of prozac and I’ve tried to come off but I feel nausea, shocks in my head, drunk, depressed, it’s like Im going crazy!!Any suggestions?ASAP please!!!!!!Oh yea, what is SAM-e?
March 21st, 2005 at 9:08 am
Hi, I have been on many anto depressanst for the past 12 years. This past year I tried paxil, it worked well until i started getting daily headaches that i just couldn’t deal with. My Doctor switched me to Effexor Xr.The switch took place 6 days ago and I have never felt withdrawal like this from any anti-depressant.
I dont so much have the my brain is jello feeling but more of the crazy pms I can’t stand anyone or anything feeling! I need someone who has been through this to chat with, Please if you have been through this e-mail me at smuchizshadow@aol.com.
Thanks!
March 21st, 2005 at 2:15 pm
I was taken off Prozac after 10 years cold turkey and put on Zoloft. This should be against the law because I thought I was gonna lose my mind. I had huge, sudden mood swings, murderous and enraging thoughts and feelings, no apetite, severe depression and buzzing anxiety. It took 3 weeks to begin to feel normal.
March 21st, 2005 at 10:04 pm
I took Paxil for about three years, experienced extreme withdrawal within a few hours of missing dosage (20mg per day). Experience dizzienss, nausea, flu like symptoms. My Doctor said that it was not possible, sent me to get checked for Vertigo. Funny how I didn’t have Vertigo before taking anti-depressants. Switched to Wellburtrin, made me xtremely agitated, went to Prozac, oh what a relief it was. Now I feel I am ready to deal on my own, and my doctor thinks so too. Sometimes the Paxil and Prozac would make me feel like I could crawl out of my own skin, and I am irritated by the littlest things. I didn’t have these problems before, and I didn’t have anxiety attacks in the middle of the night. I am going cold turkey, and since I have done withdrawal before from Paxil (cold turkey, but then had to wein off for about three months), I hope it won’t be so rough. I have gotten some natural relaxers like Mellatonin and Valerian to help me relax and get to sleep. I am taking a nutritional product made by Isagenix- check it out! It can naturally help with seretonin levels. Also, Women especially, eat first thing in the morning. Our bodies only have the first two hours of the day to produce seretonin naturally. Take advantage of this small window and eat something to help in the production. Eating properly can also help with leveling moods and keeping your blood sugar levels normal. When blood sugars go to low, it can reek havoc on your system and mind too. So if you are trying to withdraw, be kind to yourself and eat good. Also, Health Direct Collagen Protein brings about a natural healthy sleep pattern. These drugs can deplete your body of vital nutrients, and if you do nothing to replace them, your health will only suffer and you may feel the need to go back on. All of your comments sound so familiar to me and the side effects of what these drugs can do to you. I have suffered night sweats, dizziness, nausea, joint pain, fibermyalgia pain, head aches, weight gain and I believe that these drugs leave us witht the symptoms as a side effect of being on them. For someone like myself, where my depression has been mild, but enough to disrupt my life, it has helped. But I am ready to move on and take a more natural approach to my health. Tapering off is good, keeping yourself informed of the alternatives and discussing them with your doctor is wise also. Maybe it would help to consult a naturpathic to help wein and move in a direction that your body will benefit from in the long run, instead of suffering. I sympathize with you all for what you are going through. I am not a health professional, but I think we have to be proactive in caring for our own bodies. Health care providers do not always have it in our best interest, but the drug companies best interest.
March 24th, 2005 at 2:11 pm
Seven years ago I was diagnosed with Anorexia Nervosa and put on prozac. Two months later I tried to commit suicide at the age of 13. I have been on Prozac ever since and I am a regular cutter. Lately I’ve been really moody and im on 40mg of prozac. my doctor is thinking of taking me off it…but im scared. I don’t want to go down the wrong path again…but I’m not happy now…so what do I do? I’m tired of being a nut case.
April 9th, 2005 at 7:04 pm
glad I stumbled onto these posts. was beginning to question whether I’d made a big mistake taking myself off of Zoloft. I had weened myself from 100mg to 50 mg for about 8 weeks, then stopped taking it all together. after 9 years and with all going well I decided to go without. been experiencing irritability and agression, very unlike me when I was medicated, or pre-SSRI for that matter. so i’m relieved to read here and elsewhere that these are symptoms of SSRI withdrawl. i sure hope it passes sooner than later. perhaps I should have halved the halves I was taking before i quit altogether. incidentally, my GP is unaware of my doings. probably not a wise choice. recommend anyone considering stopping their SSRIs to confer with their doctors, and/or at least let those close to them know what’s going on so that any mood changes or withdrawl symptoms manifested are explainable.
April 13th, 2005 at 11:53 pm
My doctor recently prescribed both Zoloft and Prozac. I was under the impression that these were similar drugs. Is this usual or is he crazier than I am?
Thanks
April 24th, 2005 at 1:11 am
THE BAD NEWS!!!!I stopped taking P a x i l 8 days ago. I have the “zaps” where I feel like I may faint for a spit second, it’s really scareing me, at first I didnt know what was happening I was going to go to the ER, I don’t have insurance. This happens all day. Is this dangerous? I have become extemly manic and ball every night, when the smallest things happen I get depressed and then extremly angry and then I get over it. I have to maintain dependant relationships because I am so unstable.
THE GOOD NEWS!!!! I hope all of you are thinking postive, hopefully for many of us it’s only the drugs and we can learn to appreciate the life that will be waiting for us when we get back. I became sort of more depressed while reading these postings, but I am optimistic, I started jogging again, first time in two years and my sex drive is comming back with a vengence. I HAVE THE RECIVING CLERK IN MY BUILDING SCARED CRAZY he wants to know why im so (you know) all the time. I am not functioning right because of the withdrawal but I am not going to put up with this anymore. I’m just not. Paxil took my creativity away from me the most important thing in my life. I havent picked up my camera in a year. I don’t work out, I don’t have sex, blah- Is this how we are going to live our lives? Thats why I quit cold turkey, I’m mad I want my life back and I always get what I want! I knew this was going to suck I don’t care I’m done with it! Screw the a-hole doctors who told me it wasn’t a big deal, I am waiting for their mid-life crisis.
Something that has given me an EXTREME amound of comfort is an essential oil named, HELICHRYSUM, or EVERLASTING, If you are having trouble sleeping please try this, since I have used this, I sleep all night and I wake up in the morning and feel wonderful. I would never have believed someone about this but I have over the years started to wear very thin, and after this experiance with p a x i l I am going to stick to nautral remedies. BECAUSE I STICK TO NATURAL REMIDES MY BODY IS SENSITIVE, IF YOU TAKE SLEEPING PILLS EVERYNIGHT THIS PROBABLY WONT HELP AS FAR AS KNOCKING YOU OUT. I put 5 drops in almond oil and massage it into my skin, oils take anywhere from 20 to 90 minutes to enter your body, sometimes I apply during the day, however a smaller amount so I don’t get tired. It’s really great for girls because it smells so wonderful. But it has very real medicinal properties and I am so glad that I bought it. I bought a 5ml bottle for $30 which seems expensive however only the smallest amount is needed and the the oil is also mixed with the carrier which is inexpensive. I can’t say this will work for everyone but I would really be screwed without it.
I’m not a religious person, however, GODBESS
April 27th, 2005 at 9:26 am
Was on Celexa, weight gain was over 50 pounds in less than a year. Went to Lexapro. First 10 then 20 mg dosage. All was fine but then I found the physical diagnosis for the need for keeping my seratonin levels was wrong. Got that fixed. Cold turkey then off Lexapro. The Lexapro worked great and I felt focused. Now after a week, I am dizzy, lightning bolts in my head,and kinda freaked out about the whole thing.
I have been mostly useless for the last week since coming off the Lexapro. Its a tightrope…do you suffer through the withdrawals and hope it goes away or do you digress and go back on the meds. Or do you start back at a lower dosage and try to taper off?
My docs dont have a clue on that. I dont want to get back on especially after a week of withdrawal symptoms which I may have to just experience again at some point…geezzzzz.
Typing is hard..even after being a writer for 25 years…lots of errors and gaps in my thought patterns. Dizzy to the point I dont want to even get up and walk around much less go out or try to drive. The lightning bolts are horrendous in my head, zap..zap in my ears and the feeling of being on the verge of passing out and out of control physically.
Damn…why doesnt the FDA look into these problems and make some reccomendations based on science to help protect us from these terrible effects…my down time appears to be equal to having to endure recovery from an automobile accident, stroke, or heart surgery…but without anyone telling me this could happen. I dont know how long I may be down with these conditions and I am extremely pissed.
I am functionally useless, for some period of time and it is blatently obvious the system has let us down…the FDA, the manufacturers, the doctors, EVERYONE involved.
God help us.
Sammy
April 27th, 2005 at 4:29 pm
I’ve been on Lexapro for about a year. Two weeks ago I quit cold turkey. I get dizzy every day around 3pm and sometimes nausea too…I am wondering when this will stop?
May 5th, 2005 at 1:08 am
My new girlfriend has been on Paxil for 2 years for depression and anxiety - from what I can make out this manifests itself in violent and negative thought processes that spiral out of control. She hates being on the anti-depressants, thinking that it means she is crazy - when of course she doesn’t want to be crazy. So she has been attempting to get off these drugs under her own steam for the last 6 months or so (with no advice from a GP or a psychiatrist). Then I started going out with her 6 weeks ago - she told me everything, and I suggested she should see a professional for advice. She didn’t want to see a psychiatrist incase he tells her she has natural background mental disorder, rather than a reaction to a traumatic event (which is what she thinks she has). SO I badgered her into seeing somebody, so she went to see a GP who is known to have considerable experience with mental health issues. She told him about trying to cut down the Paxil and get off it - and he recommended she move over to Prozac - due to the longer half life and less severe “withdrawal” symptooms. So last week she moved over to Prozac. This whole week has been pretty bad - with her swinging into fairly deep and sweeping depressions, negative thought spirals about our relationship and the likes. Her sleep pattern is not good, staying up late and staying in bed late. It is disrupting my life too. Last night we had a particularly bad night, and she was very down and irritable and we fell out - I felt at a total loss, as did she. Today we are both down and she vomitted at work. What should she/we do? Up the Prozac dosage? Go back to the doctor? See a psychiatrist? Go back to the Paxil? Stick with the current Prozac dose until she starts to feel better? I just don’t know if our relationship will withstand too much more of this current situation. She is also under a fair bit of stress at work - and has had continuous relationship problems for years, presumably due to the depression/antidepressants. I really like her and would love to make her life better, and to have a healthy relationship with her - but how do I/we do that!?? Any advice gladly received. Has anybody else moved from Paxil straight to Prozac? Any stories/advice? Thanks for reading.
May 6th, 2005 at 1:25 am
I have been on Paxil (20 mg.) I think twice now. First for about 6 mos. then went off. Too expensive out of pocket! Weened off very gradually and didn’t notice any real problems that time. Was off the drug for I guess about a year. Lots of life changes, got anxious and went back on again August 2003. This time Paxil CR which I liked better. Less weight gain it seemed like. After 2 months, was upped to 30 mg of the CR (doctor’s orders). Then didn’t go to that shrink anymore (meds too expensive and so was she). Took myself back down to 20 mg and got on a generic for much less $. Canada. I do not have insurance. This time what I did was lower my dosage the “fast” way: Cold turkey for 5 days until I started getting pretty bad withdrawals, then took broke my 20’s in 1/2. Symptoms went away within about 2 hours of taking the 10 mg. THIS IS CALLED ADDICTION FOLKS! But I’m not gonna lose My sense of humor for nothin’ or no one. Stopped the .5 of clonopin at bedtime (.5 mg.) for sleep and now taking my 10 mg. of Paxil at night instead of in the morning. In between this, I went on Zoloft for about 5 weeks. Now back to Paxil again. I have this gas and bloating and diarhhea everyday (for about 5 days now I guess). I’m trying not to pay too much attention to it. Luckily, I’m on SSDI right now and don’t have to work, so this is my chance to get off the stuff THE RIGHT WAY. Been educating myself on alternative medicine for withdrawals. Cleansings and detoxes will follow soon. The running (jogging) also sounds like an excellent idea. Worked for me like a charm when I quit the nicotine years ago. If I got off cigarettes, I can get off this stuff. “Go back to my old life”? No, I think I’ll try a “brand new life” that includes all my past, the good, the bad and the ugly–without drugs though. One thing I know too, you can never go back! You have to go forward AND differently! Very important. IF I DO WHAT I ALWAYS DID, I’LL GET WHAT I ALWAYS GOT. Right? I don’t believe in quick fixes, Western Medicine/Doctors, pharmaceutical company profts … I question everything and will continue to. One thing I know is I want to have a sex life again and have the “desire” to work out. Be creative again . . . similar too many of your posts. I sympathize with everyone here. THANKS so much for the input. Pain is necessary, but suffering is optional. Don’t match the unpleasantness of withdrawal (and it is HELL, but so what?), with fear that it will never end. Release it! The only WAY OUT IS THROUGH! Believe it. We’ll all make it to the other side. God/Goddess, ALL THAT IS, sees us and cares. Believe it! Trust in your God more than your doctor and perservere. This is withdrawal–it isn’t who were are and it’s not “real”. Believe it. Have faith. Maybe this whole experience we’re having is for the purpose of building this strength and awareness! EVERYTHING HAPPENS FOR A REASON and has MEANING. Much love and light to each and everyone of you… God Bless our courageous souls.
May 12th, 2005 at 8:09 pm
I have just been put on a high dose of seroquil. I was taking 50 mgs at night but because of a manic episode that is still in effect the shrink raised it to 100 mg in the morning, 100 mgs in the evening and 300 mgs at bedtime. When I take it I experience extreme sleepiness that lasts for about an hour, then I get hyper again. When I take it at night I get itchy and can’t fall asleep because of it. Also since I had the increase I have had this appetite from hell! There isn’t enough food in the house! I just was curious to know if anyone out there has the same symptoms. Also what are the side effects of going off of the seroquil cold turkey?
Thanks Cherie
May 25th, 2005 at 11:29 pm
I was put on Cymbalta about 7 months ago, over 50 lbs later, I decide I am not taking any anti-depressants anymore. I originally went on an anti-depressant when I was living with an abusive husband. We have been divorced 6 years now, and I have decided I need the chance to go off the meds. Cymbalta has horrible withdrawal symptoms, just like Effexor did. When I was weaned off Effexor, Serzone was increased, which helped alittle, but this time I am going off completely. I was taking 30 mg of Cymbalta. I tried to stop cold turkey, I had all of those crappy flu-like symptoms, migrain headaches, electrical surges were driving me nuts, like someone else said, I felt useless. I did not feel well enough to clean the house or be active at anything. So I went back on the med within 4 days, and decided to empty 3/4 of the capusule, put it back together and take it. So I was ONLY taking 1/4 of the medication. I felt wonderful. I was busier, happier, more active than I had been in months. I took only 1/4 of the capsule for a full week, then I thought it would be ok, to stop. Boy am I am going through it all again. I have to be so careful moving my eyes to quickly. I hate this feeling. I am so angry!! I feel like we should have been warned in some way!! Its not fair that once you go on a medication, its nearly impossible to come off of it. I too, want my life back! I am a single 42 year old mom, I have a wonderful 15 year old son to keep up with, I have to earn a living, my beautiful daughter and her husband are getting ready to give me a granddaughter, and they have already given me an adorable grandson. They need me, I need me, and we all deserve me to be feeling something besides these danged withdrawal side effects. If I knew they would only last a week or so, but I have no idea how long this will last. I am ONLY 42!!! I have so much more life to live, I have so much more to give to others. Is anyone else out there dealing with this wonderful new drug called Cymbalta???? I hate it!!
May 28th, 2005 at 1:58 pm
Prozac, Zoloft, paxil, Results not good.A more natural way would be to use canibus.Man made drugs seem to only mask the ailment with a painful after-effects, addiction to these drugs have destroyed more than should be allowed.
June 10th, 2005 at 8:04 pm
I’ve been taking Zoloft for about 5 years. I finally became tired of all the side effects, (there are many). So I attempted to taper off and quit. BIG MISTAKE! I find it very unsettling that this antidepressant has caused me such terrible withdrawal suffering. This medicine - that was originally billed as having no withdrawal symptoms is anything but!
There is no “magic pill” that will solve your problems. You should exhaust “EVERY” option other than antidepressants before going down this road. Because once you do - YOU CAN NEVER GO BACK. What I thought was a “magic pill” has turned out to be a deal with the devil.
June 14th, 2005 at 11:47 pm
Don’t even THINK of starting Paxil or Wellbutrin. These drugs do temporarily mask depression, anxiety, etc. and that masking may get you though a tough time. However, taking these drugs IS making a deal with the devil (as mentioned above). After taking these drugs for a period of weeks you will become a zombie robot human-like creature with no creative thoughts, no desire for love or sex or intimacy. You will loose your humanity but hey, who needs to be human anyway. Your family, friends and pets will become paper doll-like beings and you will treat them as such; the same goes for the way you will be treating yourself.
The one fun side effect is the INSANELY VIVID dreams you will have. But any wisp of a wild dream life will be erased at the moment you wake up and begin your robotic day as an artificial, soleless non-being.
So after you realize that you stopped listening to music, stopped reading books, stopped working out, stopped having in-depth conversations, stopped being romantic and even stopped masturbating, you might consider weening off both the Paxil and the Wellbutrin or both.
That special moment is when you notice the creepy tenticles of the Devil herself are hugging you and that she doesn’t want to let you go. Try, just try to ween yourself off of these drugs. Take all the time you want. Ween Ween Ween gram by gram by gram until you are eating just the tiniest fragments of the former whole pills and you are eating just one fragment every other week. None of your well planned gradual deprivation will stop the ELECTRIC JOLTS, the FITS OF RAGE, FITS of LAUGHTER, Nausea, Dizziness, emotional flattness or that oddest of odd feeling - as though you just woke up and wonder “what the f**k is this entity I am occupying and who just abandoned me here in this vapid, convusling, mess of an alien who is surrounded by strangers.”
Three months after quitting Paxil and Wellbutrin, you realize that the ride has just begun.
It is not worth it. Better be crazy in real life rather then to trade your life to become a torched, flat, magazine quality likeness of yourself.
Jake14222@hotmail.com
July 25th, 2005 at 12:10 pm
I have been taking zoloft for about 2 and a half years. I am currently trying to ween myself off of the drug. It hasn’t been easy! The biggest thing for me is the horrible insomnia. How long does this last? Oh and terrible night sweats, although this might be just part of pre-menopause, because I’m 38. I’v cut my does in half from 50mg to 25 mg. Does anyone know how long I should continue to half the dosage before completely stopping taking this stuff?
August 21st, 2005 at 1:55 pm
I need help. I have been on prozac for about 10 years. First 20 mg then 40 mg daily.
I decided it was no longer working and asked the doctor to change me to something else.
I am very drug sensitive and prozac was the only anti depressant that did not cause horrible side effects when I began taking it years ago.
So a month ago the doctor put me on wellbutrin along with prozac……I did this only one week. I did not want to be on 2 different kinds of antidepressants at the same time. Then the doctor started me on Effexor starting with one week on the 37 mg dose then upping to the 75 mg dose.
No prozac was taken………I could not sleep on the effeor and had sweats all the time.
I called the doctor back and he put me on wellbutrin only @ 150 mg per day. I have done this for one week and I am feeling horrible. Awful anxiety, sweats, nervousness, agitation. You name it. Unable to sleep. So my problem is this…………should I go back on prozac? Stick with the Wellbutrin or stop everything. I have only been on the Wellbutrin for one week and off prozac for over a month. I don’t have a clue at this point which is causing the side effects.
Stopping prozac, starting Wellbutrin or stopping effexor after being on it for only 2 weeks. Someone please advice……I don’t know what to try at this point. I don’t even know if I am depressed anymore or not. Would a drug free life be best?
Thanks for any help…..
August 22nd, 2005 at 5:28 pm
My understanding is that doctors often ramp people down from antidepressants to curtail some of the withdrawal effects. I would suggest you talk about this option with your doctor, Linda.
September 6th, 2005 at 10:51 pm
I’ve been on Zoloft since December of 2004 after my boyfriend broke up with me. I started at 25mg then 50mg and now 100mg. Anyway, I was sick of being fat from the weight gain from the Zoloft and no sex drive or no way to orgasm so I decided to quit 2 days ago. I’ve been feeling kinda dizzy and it feels like I’m getting electric shocks through my body. Sometimes my vision is screwy and fuzzy. I didn’t wean off of this like I’m sure I’m supposed to. I still feel sad though. It feels like Zoloft is just a mask to cover every emotion that I’m meant to have. I’d rather be mad and sad and angry and happy than just “blah” all the time. I’m only experiencing the beginnings of the withdrawal symptoms, I’m sure, but I’m not going on those drugs again. I can’t sleep any more either. I haven’t been going to bed or waking up….just being here and being awake all day and all night is driving me crazy. I wonder how long this is gonna last. Thanks to everyone who posted on here because I thought I was one of the few and now I see there are just as many people being driven crazy by these anti-depressants than I thought. Now my life is drug free and I’m happy about that. But not much else. I don’t like these electricity feelings shooting through my body though. Why is that?
September 12th, 2005 at 9:30 pm
I started on cymbalta in May of 2005. Started having severe stomach pains and constipation. My doctor thought I may have IBS so he told me to quit taking the cymbalta for 2 weeks then call him back to see if anything had gotten better. If not he would put me on effexor. I asked him if I needed to decrease my dose of cymbalta and he said no that it had a long half life. Well he didn’t know what in the hell he was talking about. After 3 days I felt like I was going to die. I would be driving and almost black out, sleeping all the time, severe pains in my head at times and at other times it felt like a sinus headache. After being off nine days I called my doctor back and told him he was going to have to do something because I couldn’t handle this. He put me on effexor. So today it has been 14 days since I have had any cymbalta. I have now been on effexor for 4 days. I still feel like crap. The headaches and pains in my head are awful. I feel really nauses. Yesterday I was ready just to kill myself. My husband doesn’t understand and is not supportive at all. I guess he thinks I am stupid and crazy. Does anyone else feel like this or is it just me.
September 28th, 2005 at 6:34 am
Hi Stacy,
You’re certainly not crazy. My fiance was put on Cymbalta back in March of this year for depression. He’s bi-polar and a recovering alcoholic/addict. It was pure hell. He had horrible symptoms. Headaches, constipation, etc.. He should have never been put on this medication to begin with because he had Hep.C. His Dr. is a f…. Anyways. I found out about Cymbalta being bad for the liver with people with hep.c on my own via the computer. Thank god I did. This was two months ago. His doctor took him off this horrible medication cold turkey on Aug. 2nd of this year and he’s been very sick ever since. The first month he had terrible headaches, cold sweats, severe nausea and vomiting. It’s been two months now and he’s still sick. The vomiting subsided, but he’s still suffering from moderate to severe nausea, constipation and headaches. Because Cymbalta takes 12 hours to metabolize through the liver in a person who doesn’t have hep. c, it took twice as long for Cymbalta to metabolize through my fiance’s liver which is 36 hours per pill. He was on this medication for four months. So please don’t feel that your crazy. What your experiencing is real and your doctor should have known better and so shouldn’t have my fiance’s doctor. I wish you all the best. Maybe your husband needs to read the stories posted on this web site.
October 17th, 2005 at 10:05 pm
I have been on zoloft for almost a year i have been tapering off 10mg a week only problem i have had is the brain zaps i was on 125mg now on 50mg i have gained 15lbs on this med how long will it take to loose the weight?
thank you
October 26th, 2005 at 2:03 pm
I have been on Seroquil for over a year and have experienced weight gain, memory loss, mild hallucinations which turn into panic to the point I am scared of my own shadow. I got past the hurting legs but now have all these side effects. I need this med because it keeps me fairly calm and grounded and sober. Yes I’m a recovering addict and I couldn’t of done it w/o psych meds. Does anyone know of a non addictive panic medication? PLEASE HELP!!!
November 7th, 2005 at 3:21 am
Been on Zoloft from 97 to 2003 at levels 150 mg and under. Starting in 2004 moved up by 50mg at a time to 200, 250… and was pushed to 300mg! by pyschiatrist in Jan/Feb 2005. Could only stand 300 mg for about 4 days - completely numbed me out. Been working my way down ever since…appeared to be going well until went from 100 to 50.
I thought I was in good hands with a therapist and the pychiastrist (later to be revealed an unscruptulous shrink) and “slowly” working off my meds. Never told of withdrawl symptoms other than dizziness.
As luck had it, I moved down from 100 to 50 while on a cruise of Hawaii…Sept of this year. Since then life has been intolerably miserable. Thought dizziness was motion sickness, continued after I got on the boat; then allergies brought on ear infection to again explain away dizziness. All this masked the fact that my growing irritibility, moodiness, seemingly re-appearance of depression, and a new, never-before experienced symptom - RAGES had an explanation… which I now realize is Zoloft withdrawl. In one of those rages, I said the hell with Zoloft and jumped down to none from 50 mg. Since I’d been as high as 300 and had moved down to 50 in about 6 months, I didn’t see 50 to 0 as a big jump…evidently it is. Too little too late.
Now I’m 2.5 weeks out; 2.5 weeks off Zoloft for the first time in 8 years. I’m a wreak emotionally - crying uncontrollable (again, explained away by grief - my father died May 2005); incredible fits of rage and extreme energy; yelling and screaming at my kids; and the worst, not feeling safe…will I be able to control the rage, the panic attack, the freak-out the next time? I’ve called my husband and a friend afraid of hurting myself and/or my children.
SO far behavior has included such bizarre things are: breaking objects in a fit of rage; rage being relieved by running sprints; feeling like my heart has the shakes or shivers; “restless legs” - jerky, tingly movements of legs (again, misdiagnozed and medicated as a seperate illlness instead of Zoloft-withdrawal); impulsive re-construction (my word)/de-struction ( husband’s word) of major structural parts of house!; sensation that when I turn my head my brain shifts inside of it but doesn’t “keep up” with the external part of my head…lagging behind.
So I sit here…waiting…how long can withdrawal last? I thought Zoloft was “out” of the body in two weeks? It’s been 2 1/2. Will the new pysch dr (to replace unscruptlous one) push me back onto meds? Can I effectively convince medical personell that the drug withdrawal is the problem…NOT that I’m relapsing back into depression? Will the withdrawal ever stop? I told my therapist over and over that I feel MANIC…I’m literally insane…at least now, I can agree with her assessment that I’m not clinically crazy because now I believe in Zoloft withdrawal.
November 18th, 2005 at 8:38 am
My daughter was on a low dosage of Luvox for 4 years. She started tapering very slowly about 7 weeks ago.As predicted by many postings, symptoms kicked in when she was down to 5mg or so. The initial symptom was severe depersonalization followed by dizziness which comes and goes and has continued now for 7 weeks. She had considered trying a few days of 20mg Prozac but the thought of reintroducing anything didn’t feel right. I can’t find anything about just how much longer she can expect to experience dizziness. It is almost, but not quite, debilitating and she is exhausted by the struggle.
November 30th, 2005 at 10:31 pm
Linda,
If you read this leave a message. I have also changed from Prozac to Wellbutrin, and I want to go back. I am not happy with Wellbutrin and feel like I’ve reverted to all of my depressive tendencies. Did you go back to Prozac? Do you feel better?
February 17th, 2006 at 3:02 am
I went off Paxil cold turkey a few weeks ago. I have been using the drug for about 3 years. So far the withdrawl has been rather unpleasant. I feel irritable, tired, paranoid and very anxious. Of course this varies from day to day. I had some problems with my health plan and couldn’t get my prescriptions refilled so I decided to just stay off the medicine. I wanted to see how I would do without it. I’m a graduate student and I was also concerned that the medicine was inhibiting my creativity and thought process. I’m not sure if I’m better on it or off of it. Since I’ve been off it now for a few weeks I’m thinking I’ll go without.
April 20th, 2006 at 9:36 pm
I would love to know if anyone withdrawing from Lexapro has experienced very low blood pressure along with all the other unpleasant withdrawal symptoms. I weaned myself off of 3.5 years of using 10mg per day by lowering my dosage (cutting the pills) over a period of 3 weeks. After reading comments from others I now realize this was too fast and am experiencing withdrawal symptoms which began 3-4 days after no dosage at all. I was happy to hear that others experienced the head “zooms” because I had no idea these were common symptoms….zaps of “woosiness” that only last for seconds, but feel like fleeting moments of near unconsciousness with ear buzzes. I also have the fatique and nausea. The most worrisome thing to me is the very low blood pressure. Has anyone else experienced this? AND…how long will this whole thing last???
May 3rd, 2006 at 12:53 am
hi rosemary,
i tapered off of a six-month run on Lexapro the summer of 2003. i did it on my own without my doc’s advice or supervision, gradually reducing my dosage over a period of about six weeks. i got the wooziness you describe, like suddenly i was walking on ground the consistency of clouds, and my head was all a-swim. i went to an acupuncturist, had one treatment, and never suffered another side-effect.
it’s years later and i’m on 20mg prozac, which i just started in feb. i’m gaining weight and not feeling energized or focused. i can say the suicidal thoughts and pms have faded, however, just distant memories now. reading this site makes me want to get off prozac sooner than later because i don’t think i could stand head zaps and flus and all the other se’s people are discussing.
i wish you all the best in your recovery.
May 14th, 2006 at 7:56 pm
I was on Zoloft for 12 years. I quit cold turkey almost a month ago. I feel great. It’s nice to laugh full-heartedly again. It’s nice to be moved to tears by beauty again. There have been side effects such as VERY vivid dreams. A little dizziness. and (obviously) a wider range of emotions (which at 32 years of age I’m prepared to embrace). something that I have learned in life which has been of monumental usefulness in the transition off the drug (and every other area of my life for that matter) is REALITY EXISTS UNIQUELY FOR EVERY INDIVIDUAL, and it is our PERCEPTIONS of events, not the events themselves, that dictate our response to things. I’ll give you an example. I have a cousin who is terrified of birds. He displays what many people would percieve as psychotic anxiety at even the site of a sparrow flying 100 meters away. In his reality, birds are terrifying. In my reality, birds are beautiful and a symbol of freedom. Is my perspective better? NO. Just different. I have found that in my ‘recovery’ from using Zoloft, EMBRACING rather than FEARING or DENYING the side ‘effects’ has made all the difference. I hope my perspective helps
And I am sooooo glad to be FREE and be ME.
May 15th, 2006 at 3:34 pm
I was on Prozac for about 7 years…went on a vacation and forgot to take them with me…decided to come off of them by myself…big mistake…..especially after being prescribed 180 mg a week. Well…I was doing good for about a month, then the bottom dropped out. I had no idea it was from not taking Prozac…I felt like I had mono…achey all over, shoulders, hips, everywhere…and totally exhausted…can’t get enough sleep. Well, that’s been going on about a week now…any ideas from anyone if a painfree life is in site? I hate to go back on it…it’s so expensive…and I really don’t want to be on it anymore since I’ve changed jobs and my life is a little less stressful. Thanks.
May 15th, 2006 at 3:36 pm
Forgot to mention that I’ve discovered Melatonin….but I’m afraid I might be getting addicted to it…but wow! It sure helps one get a good night’s sleep. Any ideas?
June 27th, 2006 at 12:41 pm
I’m currently taking Lexapro 20mg, Provigil 200mg, and Effexor XR 75mg daily. My doctor is trying to determine which of these medications best relieves my anxiety, depression, lack of concentration, and short term memory problems. I’ve been taking the Effexor for 3 months and the others for 2 months. I haven’t felt anything but terrible. My bladder feels like its going to explode because its difficult to urinate. I also have problems with erection/ejaculation, lethargy, tremors, shortness of breath, high blood pressure and decreased vision. I was hallucinating early on, but that seems to have subsided. My dreams, however, are so vivid that it often blurs reality. I’m not sharper or focused which is really what I wanted corrected. I believe that my depression is a secondary cause of these symptoms (although I could be wrong, and the reverse could be true). My doctor hasn’t bothered to explain. I want to stop taking these medications altogether. I haven’t been taking them that long, so perhaps I should continue giving them chance. Any thoughts? Also, I would like someone’s input as to what I could expect if I go completely cold turkey. Thank you.
June 29th, 2006 at 11:13 pm
After taking Zoloft for over 4 years, I have decreased the dosage slowly. From 50 mcg I am down to 25mcg. Ever since then I have been having constipation and diarrhea spells. Sometimes I feel achey, weak, and dizzy. My main concern is that my doctor might want to do a colonoscopy because of my stomach troubles. He does not believe these are withdrawal symptoms. Anyone else had this problem?
July 14th, 2006 at 10:12 am
I had been taking 20mg of Paxil for about a year for Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. Things were okay. I felt like I had no motivation to do or care about anything, so I was put on a regime to quit Paxil. I got off of Paxil after about 2 weeks which was good but came at a price. I was put on Prozac for that time. I was on Prozac for about 3 months when I decided I didn’t want or need to be medicated the rest of my life. I quit my 20mg of Prozac at this time cold turkey. Things have been up and down for the last 3 weeks. I’ve had a lot of vertigo/dizzyness. It seems that when I turn and look a direction while moving in another, my brain says WHAT THE F@%K. This has been happening with a gradual decrease over 3 weeks and I’m just playing the waiting game now. I’d like to see the symptoms stop asap. Since stopping both Paxil and Prozac, I’ve been happier, more energetic, and a happier home life. I can care about things again. I’ve also been losing the 25 pounds I put on during my Paxil/Prozac days. Good luck to you all.
July 22nd, 2006 at 10:39 pm
HI, been on prozac and then zoloft (150mg) for the last ten year. Stopped cold turkey five weeks ago. Never had a single withdrawal problem. I feel the best I have in many years.
August 9th, 2006 at 2:05 pm
Don’t come off lexapro by yourself. I did, and I’ve experienced the dizziness, or “lightning bolts in the head”, or “brain in jello slamming into my skull(that’s pretty funny by the way)for 3 days now. This sucks a*s. Thought it would go away, but apparently it won’t. Oh yeah, I’ve been on it for a year and gained over 40 freakin pounds. I can’t afford this crap just like you can’t. I will never let a doctor talk me into going on a medication like this again. Yes, it helped for my anxiety, so it worked. But is all this extra torture worth it? NO! I’m considering another option that is a natural suppliment available at Walgreens called “5 HTP” it is supposed to help with serotonin levels. If I have some luck I’ll let everyone know! more info is available here: http://www.biosynergy.com/5htp.htm
August 16th, 2006 at 11:39 am
5 HTP, while no miracle cure, WORKS! It has not gotten rid of my dizziness, but it has eased the withdrawl symptoms greatly! I can actually tolerate the symptoms and go about my daily routine with relatively little interference. I highly recommend this to anyone who is having trouble concerning withdrawl symptoms.
August 21st, 2006 at 3:23 pm
I started out taking Zoloft 13 years ago for severe PMS and have since changed to Prozac(20-40mg daily, depending on the mood) for the past 3 yrs. I am expecting my second child and have stopped taking the Prozac due to the pregnancy. My OB instructed me to wean myself off by cutting back to 20mg every other day for 7 days then stopping all together. I am in my 4th week of not taking it at all and still feel AWFUL. Of course I feel that the fatigue, achines and nausea are all pregnancy related but I know for a fact that the relentless ringing in my ears and lightning bolts in my head are not caused from that. I read the “jello slamming into my skull” side effect that someone wrote and I thought…Oh my God…that is it! That is what I have been trying to explain to my family except that my jello feels like it has electricity surging through it. Durning my first pregnancy 8 years ago, I did not have these withdraw feelings. I don’t know if it was because it was Zoloft or because I had not been taking it for 13 years. WOW…that sounds so bad when you say it out loud. 13 years of my life have been committed to taking that pill everyday.
Mentally, I feel great! I had a rough week or so in the beginning but now I feel level and calm and I feel confident that I will not go back on Prozac or any antidepressant for that matter ever again. My problem is this horrible feeling in my head. It gets much worse when I am moving or walking. I am really concerned because I thought all the side effects would be gone by now. After reading all the posts on this board, I still have not found where anyone says how long this feeling lasted for them before it went away. Can anyone out there shed some light on this or at least offer a little hope? I want to enjoy my pregnancy and be happy but this is driving me crazy. I can’t imagine being left this way forever…
August 24th, 2006 at 9:27 pm
I have been tapering off of Zoloft for the last three months. I was always on 100 mg and have been lowered to 50mg. First few weeks were hard, I felt very fluish and sick to my stomach. I toughed it out and am feeling great!! Am hoping to get down to 25 mg next month and then off completely. Just try to stay calm and know the horrible feelings will pass. Good luck, my body is so much stronger, more energy and “normal” feeling now that I’ve cut back.
August 25th, 2006 at 3:57 pm
Thanks, Susan. I had an appt with my OB/Gyn Tuesday and explained to him what I was going through and of course he just wanted to put me back on the meds regardless of the pregnancy and said that I would always feel this way if I didn’t. I refused to take his advise. I asked him if there was a “natural” way to fight this and he said “NO” which is total bull. I have learned there are numerous natural methods to helping your brain take in Serotonin, unfortunately it isn’t safe to take during pregnancy due to the lack of study. I had an appt today with a psychiatrist’s assistant for a second opinion of how/why the medication has effected me since being off and what the long term prognosis is. I wanted to know if my OB was right in telling me that I would always feel these withdrawal symptoms. She was the first person to EVER explain to me exactly how Prozac works (even though I thought I knew, I learned something) and she also assured me that the withdrawal will go away. There just isn’t an exact answer due to everyones chemistry being different. That advise was a lot easier to swallow! She also said that she would not recommend Prozac in the future if I do indeed HAVE to take something, she suggested Zoloft. I am going to tuff it out during the next 6 months of pregnancy and maybe nursing but then if I feel I need something…it’s off to the health supplement shop for me. I will not continue to pump $$ into the drug makers pockets! Besides, I was never labled “severe” so why was I treated that way?!!!
P.S. I am starting to feel better coincidently. The head zaps aren’t nearly as often or severe as they were on Monday.