Paxil withdrawal headaches. Advice?!


Question: I have been on Paxil for 4 years. I am currently working with my doctor to eventually stop taking Paxil altogether. I wanted to avoid withdrawl symptoms so I have been going off the Paxil for about a year now. I went from 60 mg, to 30mg, to 20 mg and I started taking 15 mg almost two weeks ago.

For the past week I have had a headache from 4pm, all night, to 11am in the morning. I get about 5 hours of relief in the afternoon. I take my Paxil each morning at 6:30 am.

I've tried resting, sitting in the dark, napping, brisk walking, drinking more fluids, taking vitamins, and countless over the counter pain medication.

What else can I do to stop these headaches? How long until I will feel some relief? Is this normal? Has anyone experienced anything like this?

(My doctor recommended that I switch to Prozac to come off the Paxil, but I really hate taking medication and would rather not introduce a new medication into my system.)


Answers: I have been on Paxil for 4 years. I am currently working with my doctor to eventually stop taking Paxil altogether. I wanted to avoid withdrawl symptoms so I have been going off the Paxil for about a year now. I went from 60 mg, to 30mg, to 20 mg and I started taking 15 mg almost two weeks ago.

For the past week I have had a headache from 4pm, all night, to 11am in the morning. I get about 5 hours of relief in the afternoon. I take my Paxil each morning at 6:30 am.

I've tried resting, sitting in the dark, napping, brisk walking, drinking more fluids, taking vitamins, and countless over the counter pain medication.

What else can I do to stop these headaches? How long until I will feel some relief? Is this normal? Has anyone experienced anything like this?

(My doctor recommended that I switch to Prozac to come off the Paxil, but I really hate taking medication and would rather not introduce a new medication into my system.)

Let your doctor know how you are feeling and he/she may try to titrate you off the medication more slowly. From 20mg to 18, for example. I know they don't come in that quantity, but with a good pill cutter, they can be made! If you think you no longer need the meds - then don't switch to another one just to help get off the paxil. And, after you do finish titrating off the paxil, if you feel like you do need medication again - don't ever take paxil again. It causes a lot of people problems - lexapro or celexa are generally much more tolerable.

I have gotten these from stopping Prozac and really, unfortunately, it is a "wait it out" kind of situation for me. I take Motrin and it helps sometimes, but not all the time. Sometimes, upping my caffeine intake seems to help for some reason too. But it usually is around a week for me.

Yeah its normal i take Paxil, and if i dont take it i have severe headaches, It has really bad withdrawl simptoms from what i hear. Ask your doctor about it.
Good luck.





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