Stopping Cold Turkey

This is in response to c2’s post about stopping Paxil cold turkey after being on it for 7 years.  Everything I have read – and that is extensive – has warned against stopping taking this drug cold turkey.  ESPECIALLY if you were taking it long term and taking more than 10 mg/day.  I strongly urge you to research this yourself.  Here are some of my suggestions:  “Prozac Panacea or Pandora?  The rest of the story on the new class of SSRI antidepressants (Prozac, Zoloft, Paxil, Lovan, Luvox and more) by Dr. Ann Blake Tracy or the website www.drugawareness.org

It is very important to educate yourself on the correct way to withdraw from Paxil.  It is not a game. ; Serious health problems CAN result from going cold turkey.  You increase your chances of living medication free by tapering off ever so slowly.  I started weaning off of 40mg of Paxil around 3 months ago.  I have been taking Paxil every day for 12+ years.  I am now down to about 11 or 12 mg a day.   I go down a notch and stay there for 10 days until the withdrawal symptoms abate and then go down another notch.  I reduce my dosage by no more than 2.5 mg at a time. ; It may sound like an extremely conservative approach, but I am the mother of four children – ages 1,3,6 & 8.  I cannot call in sick as I am a stay home mom and my kids do not deserve to have a mom that is laying on the couch or ranting & raving at them. ;

Good Luck.

Anne