Anxiety - Has anyone been on Paxil for 20+ years? I've been taking it for 26 years & am unable to?

I have been on Paxil for 25 years. I have tried three times to wean off of it. I tried cutting my 40 mg tablet in half and after the third day I felt like life wasn’t even worth living, sick to my stomach, dizzy, angry irritated, I couldn’t even believe my feelings were so dark. etc.. it was so hard to get through one day feeling so sick that I went back on my 40 mg. I am determined to get off of Paxil so here is what I am doing. Giving myself one year to get off I’m taking it very very slowly. I have started shaving a little bit off of a 40 mg pill. I am going to take that for one month the second month I am going to shave off a little more and take that for one month, and so on. My plan is to take one pill every other day in about eight months. by then I should be down to a small size pill. If I run into problems, I will ask my doctor to prescribe a different antidepressant for me to take along with the Paxil. Pray for me please. I really wanna get off of this drug. Thank you.

Hi have been on Paxil since I was 20 years old. I have been on 20mg of paxil for 20+ years now without having to up the dose but everytime I tried to taper off it was very difficult. I have tried quitting three time but I would later have to go back to my original dose of 20mg. The reason I have tried to quit is because of noticed a big change in my memory. I have read a few articles now that Paxil maybe linked to memory loss. Every time I try to quit I get very bad withdrawals. Headache, flulike symptoms, agitation and my panic attacks return. This will be my forth attempt to quit but instead I'm taping off Paxil and switching to a different antidepressant hoping it will help with the Paxil withdrawals. If I knew it would be this hard to stop taking Paxil I would have never touched the stuff. I honestly think this should be taken off the market for how bad the withdrawals are.

I have tried many times . I have been in paxil for 22 years. I am calling tomorrow to talk to my doctor about my sleep disorder I started having a few years ago. REM Sleep disorder. I believe Paxil is the cause. Hopefully I can see a neurologist and he can help me to get off the 60mg a day of paxil I'm on . It's holding me hostage and it has for so long and I didn't even realize it .

Been on Paxil for 23 years. Started off at 40 mg then went to 20mgs with 1 mg of Klonopin. Now at 30 mg Paxil and 2 mg of Klonopin. Had Sever panic attacks for several years and became agoraphobic for over a year couldn’t leave my home. The combination I’m on now has helped me the most. I have done my research and wanted to taper off until stumbling upon an article and then talking to my Dr. The article said Paxil is harder to kick than heroin. So after reading many of these posts. I respect everyone’s attempt to kick Paxil. Have a few family members pass away from heroin. It has scared the crap out of me to try and get off it. Like different posters have said Paxil effects all people differently. I have found a good exercise routine really helps boost my serotonin, my weight actually went done when I started on it which my Dr. Found strange. Still get an occasional panic attack but not nearly as bad as before. Good luck too all that want to get off. Remember nothing is impossible

Yes. Taking Paxil for 28 years. Couldn't function without Paxil .For example if I take Paxil before bed I wake up with good attitude and wanting to accomplish tasks for the day. If I don't take Paxil I don't want to get out of bed.

Paxil works very well for me. I’ve been on it for 30 years. Now 10 mg. I think it’s something I will always need to take to not feel so much anxiety. Is there a reason you wish to stop? If so taper very slowly. The dizziness is probably from the reduced dose, but check with your doctor. The side effects of tapering should eventually improve. When I have tried to taper, I feel more anxious, but feel like that’s because my anxiety is returning rather than a side effect of the taper. Then I think, life is short and if this drug helps me to live a happier life, then that is good.

I just learned of this group. I have been in Paxil for 21 years. It hasn’t helped with my panic attacks in years but every time i try to wean off I get extremely dizzy. Are you weaning off and if so how???

I have been on seroxat for 30 years. Cut down in may this year. Which was 7 months ago. I am now on 30 mg a week after taking 20 mg a day. Having a few anxieties at the moment,. Mainly to do with pressure at work and Christmas pressures. Also my mum being in hospital for a month with delirium after breaking her hip. Doing ok. Need to keep busy really. Which is what I do most of the time. Cut down slowly. I bought a weekly pill box which helped me.

It is now 2021. I have been on Paxil for 30 years. I am sure when the dr. put me on it, he was not aware of the weight gain properties, this drug has. It does well for me mentally, but I am now 77 and have gained over 40 lbs., thru the years. I take .10 mgs. I have tried, with my physicians help, four times to withdraw from it, and since I was always working full time, I could not be as sick as I was, with the withdrawal symptoms. I tried it with liquid, very gradually and with Prozac, at a low dosage and I was still so sick and had all the symptoms, people mention in the blogs. Now the weight gain, at my age is destroying my knees, back, etc. I am a small boned woman. None of my doctors have been able to help me with this. Thanks for reading.

Been on paxil for most of the last 20 years. Worked well for me, but I packed on a ton of weight and was having orgasm issues the last few years. I’ve come off paxil twice now. It’s not easy but I didn’t have too bad a time doing it. The last time I switched- Nov of 2020- my Dr had me use Prozac as a bridge and that worked great. Tried Viibryd for 3 months but that didn’t work that well. On Lexapro for almost 3 weeks now. Got my fingers crossed.

I cannot say how much I appreciate all of the answers here. I am currently weening off Paxil and it is BRUTAL. Sweats cycle pretty much 24/7 + edginess + crying jags+ lightheadedness + exhaustion ( really, who wouldn't be wiped out from managing this crap?). I have been on 20mg. on and off for 15 yrs. I went off the first time without too many issues, or maybe I blocked it. This time around is a whole new story. I am determined though.. This med did help me with a serious bout of anxiety, but it also took away my sex life and after two years is not needed. I am down to 10 mg. Tried every other day - BAD IDEA. So, will have to take this slower than I thought.

It can be done but the way or route may not be that straightforward, I was on 5mg for a year or two, cutting down from 15mg to 10 from my usual dose of 20mg since I started on this journey 26yrs ago, at times the taper can be impossible and you have to go back on, this has been my life for 26yrs an emotional yoyo'ing, the last few days took another step down from 5mg to 2.5mg after day 4 experienced bad mood swings and anger and nervousness but expected it, I feel the last few mg can be the toughest, maybe not. Hopefully I can come off this drug finally once and for all and heal my brain via meditation, exercise, eating a brain healthy diet and a healthy diet in general, avoiding unneccesary stress on the brain, like starting a new business or getting into arguements etc.
So hang in there it can be done, you may fail a few times but that can mean you are closer to the goal, I want to be off the drug by the 27yr mark.

I have taken Paxil for Over 27 years now. I took 65 mg a day until I hit 65 years old. Then had to cut down to 60 mg. I was told that’s the highest you can take after age 65. Over the years I have cut back and tried other brands. But have always come back to Paxil. I would say now it is about half as effective as it used to be. But it is still better than any other antidepressant I have tried.

Lately I have been adding CBD oil also. And I have found that to help tremendously. I highly recommend that to anyone needing more than just an antidepressant.