Weaning with Paxil to Prozac
Saturday, December 16th, 2000 (46th day off Paxil).
On trying to get off Paxil, did anyone’s doctor switch them over to Prozac? I’ve been reading a pile of medical journals and articles today that recommend that doctors do this for patients having difficulty getting off Paxil. I’m just curious if anyone has done this and if it worked…
Response:
Yes! I have just begun this process this week. I am on my 4th day of taking 10mg Prozac as I slowly taper off Paxil. I have been on Paxil 20mg/day for more than 4 years and have tried to get off it about 5-6 times over the past 2 years, only to experience the severe withdrawal effects that were intolerable for me when I got down to 5 mg.
About 3 weeks ago I found several message boards that let me know that I am not alone in this struggle to get off Paxil. Because I could not get any medical support about this, no one knew what I was talking about. And by the way, I only recently started going to a new doctor, who has been very agreeable to help me with this. I have talked to several doctors, pharmacists, psychiatrists, and a physician’s assistant who works in a drug rehab clinic, and have some references that recommend this method. Titrate each medication: one up (Prozac), one down (Paxil).
The best reference I have found about this is the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, 1997;58 pages 37-40. The article is “Clinical Management of Antidepressant Discontinuation.”
I understand why this method would work, that is, it makes sense, as long as it is combining very low doses. I am down to 5mg Paxil for the past 3 days, with only 4 days of Prozac 10mg/day so far in my system, after doing 10/5/5/10, Paxil only.