Can I start Paxil?

[[xR...]]

Hi everybody,

 

I'm withdrawing from benzos (now am on 5 drops of lysanxia/prazepam) a day, and I started to get really depressed, especially since I had a very hard blow last week, I learned that my boyfriend have just been diagnozed with LLC leukemia (he had a Hodgkin 3 years ago and a "small post-chemo leukemia" and survived them and was in remission for 2 years till last week), he has chances to survive it if he fights hard, and he is a fighter, but I really need to stop being depressed because it's becoming unbearable and I want to be brave and more up-spirited. I need to be there to support him because when I'm depressed he is too and he really doesnt need that.

 

Paxil helped me years ago with anxiety and melancholic depression, but since I'm on a very slow benzo tapering, I'm just asking for advices.

 

Thank you.

[[Ch...]]

It sucks when life serves up so many stressful situations at a time we can not muster the strength to deal...I hope you do not turn to the Paxil, but if you think that is best for you, go for it.  Of course you have read that depression is a frequent occurence during Benzo withdrawal, I can see why turning to Paxil would be a choice for you since it helped before. I was on Paxil several years ago and coming off it was almost as bad as coming off the Benzo's and other AD's...darn Paxil Flu!!!

Good luck and maybe start Blogging here?  I wish I had started one, instead of random notes on a 3x5 card!!!

[[je...]]

I would avoid Paxil at all costs even tho it worked for you in the past.

It rivals benzos in its difficulty to w/d from.

 

[[ne...]]

It was anxiety and depression over a series of hellish life events that sent me to benzos in the first place. Pdoc recently put me on Zoloft and it's working wonders for me. She started me really slow to avoid as many side effects as possible, and even those are starting to fade now. Im only on 50 mg and it's made a huge difference, especially when I make benzo cuts. As for coming off when the time comes, I will cross that bridge when I come to it. I was on Pristiq a decade ago for about 3 years, and came off just fine. It wasn't a party: I had some dizziness and brain zaps for a couple weeks, but after that...nothing. My opinion is not to let the fear of what might be stop you from doing what you need to do to get yourself well now. I'm sure others will disagree but for me, it has definitely been the right choice. The difference between functional and not.

[[xR...]]

Thank you everybody.

 

Personally, paxil have been quite easy to w/d for me, in 2009, I did my withdrawal in like... 1 week? And not much of symptoms except the occasional "brain zaps".

 

I'm really thinking about trying Paxil tomorrow like advised by my GP, because my mood is quite in a havoc right now, I have a new onset of melancholia with obsessions and some sort of delusions... :'(

 

But I'm kind of scared of the side effects (blame my hypochondriac side), that maybe it would give me seizures, etc... :/ I guess it wont happen since I never read about something like that when on benzo w/d.

 

And for the news, bf is getting better, he is responding well to chemo, only 2 cycles have been done, a 3th is possibly sheduled, then, they'll put him on oral chemo only. ^^

[[ho...]]

Stay away from that

[[Ma...]]

Paxil works amazing for my anxiety. I have been on it twice now. First time I was on it I had zero issues coming off of it.

[[Do...]]

I know most people on this board are generally against psych meds (and I understand why), if it has helped you in the past, I see no reason you shouldn't try it if you think it may reduce your symptoms.  However, it is possible you could have withdrawal effects when you try to stop taking it again.  My completely non-medical opinion is this - hold off taking another med if possible, but if things are unbearable and you do decide to start taking it, don't let anyone guilt you for trying to get some relief from your misery.  This withdrawal is hell, and if there is something that you honestly think could help your symptoms, there is no shame in trying it. 

[[Me...]]

My doctor prescribed Paxil for me in preparation for the benzo withdrawal.

 

Fantastic news that your boyfriend is improving! 

[[xR...]]

My doctor prescribed Paxil for me in preparation for the benzo withdrawal.

 

Fantastic news that your boyfriend is improving! 

 

Yes, this is great! But he still has a long way to go, but it's just fantastic it's going better.

 

How is/was Paxil working for you?

[[Me...]]

How is/was Paxil working for you?

 

I've only been on a full dose (and only 5 mg at that) for a few days, and so far can't tell that it's making any difference. Definitely hasn't wiped out the physical symptoms (mostly chest tightness at this point), but I know it can take a while to really do its stuff. I've very torn about getting hooked on one thing to get off another, but it's really encouraging that you didn't have a problem with Paxil withdrawal the first time around.

 

I haven't started my benzo taper yet but am essentially already experiencing mild withdrawal symptoms since it stopped being effective.