"This is my 3rd attempt to get off the paxil"

This is my 3rd attempt to get off the paxil. I wonder if I'll be successful? I believe I will (also did the other times). It's now been a year that I was prescribed paxil for panic attacks. Let me tell you that most doctors do not inform us well at all. If I had known there were so many withdrawal syptoms, I would have chosen something else. I can say the paxil at a proper dose really helped me. But when I first started on the paxil it didn't work. The doctors said it was going to be a gradual improvment. A month and 1\2 passed and I wasn't better. (I took 10mg for 3weeks and then 20mg) I was only better 2 to 3 days after the increase but for only a couple of days. I still had to go to the emergency many times, cause the panic attacks persisted uncontrollably. So between the hospital, my GP and the psychiatrist everything got mixed up. The hospital put my dosage up to 30mg. (good for a few days) Then I was worst. Now not only panic attacks but obsessive suicidal flashes. (which I feared tremendously cause I did not want to do that) So again to the emergency room for a huge panic attack and confusion. My dosage was put up to 40mg. What a mistake. It got worse after a few days of feeling good. With the panic attacks and suicidal flashes, add lots of ups and downs (laughing then crying 10-15 times a day). Also the shakes and increased occurrences of the attacks. So my GP put the paxil up to 50mg. What an overdose. You figure between them they would know the increase is worst. So this time the emergency admitted me for a week. I automatically refused to take that high of a dose of paxil. With lots of pushing they agreed to reduce it to 30mg and they gave me some ativan. I felt great after two days and then even better after a week. I say I felt great cause it was really hell before. so when I left the hospital we reduced it to 20mg with regular intake of ativans(ativans for about 1 month). It worked wonders. Panic attacks were controlled and not as frequent. Like once or twice a day instead of 10-12 times. And improving to only a few controlled ones a week to almost nothing. Now 9 months had past. I was well so decided to quit the paxil. Big mistake. I stopped cold turkey. It feels really great for a few days but then it's hell. I experienced major dizziness, being like off balance, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, being light headed, major tingling and vibrating and numbness in my arms, hands, legs and feet, lack of energy. I coulldn't stand cause I would be sick and I was weak almost not able to move around. I forgot to add the major heart palpitations. fast regular fast regular... After a week I couldn't take it anymore and went back on the paxil at 20mg. a few weeks later I attempted to do it the right way and reduce the dosage slowly to 10mg and the 5mg. But I felt bad everytime I reduced. There's this high everytime for about two days and then it's hell. So I went back to 10mg and stayed at that for a few weeks. I didn't feel good but I wanted off so bad. So I managed to regulate my system at 10mg. Wow. I took it for about 15days after that then reduced it to 5mg for a week and then a few days of every other day. Today I did not take the 5mg and all the withdrawal symptoms came back. I'm so upset. But I'm also determined to get off. I'm taking my last 5mg tomorrow. My doctor said that the withdrawal symptoms would last about 2 weeks and fade away. He said that the symptoms were well documented. Yah right, WHERE? I can someone have access to this info before taking the medication in the first place. I'm pretty frustrated by my experience and the lack of knowledge of the doctors regarding paxil. It almost feels like were rats. Well I'll let you know if I last and how long it took for the syptoms to go away . (if I succeed) Good luck to all of you out there. We'll find what works.

-- submitted by cveer, 27