Paxil · Active · Sep 22, 2026

Tapering: Paxil

active

46 posts

Scotland

Hi, I'm Xlimage

September 22, 2026

Never explained to me how hard paroxetine is to get off, how it works and the tapering side effects. After 30 years of naive neglect i now must not be on this.

Paxil — 4.5 — 30 years — actively tapering | without clinician

8 Replies

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CatinaSep 22

Community AnchorEffexor

Hi @Xlimage, welcome! Nice to have you here. Yes, it can be quite challenging to come off these drugs, especially after you've been on them long-term like you have. Are you tapering Hyperbolically? That's what we recommend here. You can read about it in the Resources section. We have many members tapering @Paxil here, so you're in good company with people who are in the same boat as you. Catina 💜 https://taper.community/resources/blog/how-to-taper-off-paxil

Venlafaxine (tapering) - Current dose 16.64 mg
Trazodone - 50 mg
Synthroid - 25 mcg

“Your brain and body know how to heal. Trust the process and keep going.”

Please Note: I am not a healthcare professional. Any advice given is based on personal experience and that of others in the lay withdrawal community.

XlimageSep 22

WelcomerPaxil · active

Thank you so much. I cannot believe a reduction of 0.5g can make me feel so wired and stressed. I may have to go back to 5mg if this feeling continues. Wait and retry.

Paxil — 4.5 — 30 years — actively tapering | without clinician

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CatinaSep 22

Community AnchorEffexor

How long ago was your reduction @Xlimage?

XlimageSep 23

WelcomerPaxil · active

Been on 5mg for 5 months. Went to 4.5mg a week ago and felt terrible. Wired,anxious, dizzy,everything...problem is no liquid paroxatin in uk so have to do a mix with water and divide amount. Problem is paroxatin does not dissolve well in water and has fillers etc so its a bad choice...i will stop this drug no matter what. I was only pushed this drug as I had a normal breakup with a girl and was upset. Should never have been left on it so long. Unfortuately i lived in a Town near GSK where it was produced and marketed to doctors when it was first released. Until last year i had no idea it was even hard to taper. My current doctor has no knowledge of the need to taper and said just stop?

Paxil — 4.5 — 30 years — actively tapering | without clinician

⭐

CatinaSep 23

Community AnchorEffexor

"Went to 4.5mg a week ago and felt terrible. Wired,anxious, dizzy,everything" — @Xlimage

I'm sorry this reduction was so hard. It can take a few weeks to even a few months for people to stabilize after a cut.

"no liquid paroxatin in uk so have to do a mix with water and divide amount. Problem is paroxatin does not dissolve well in water and has fillers etc so its a bad choice" — @Xlimage

My friend is tapering this drug and uses a razor blade to save off tiny amounts and then uses a digital scale to weigh.

"i will stop this drug no matter what" — @Xlimage

That determination will serve you well. You may just have to make your reductions much smaller and/or hold for longer periods of time between them.

"Until last year i had no idea it was even hard to taper. My current doctor has no knowledge of the need to taper and said just stop?" — @Xlimage

Yes, most people (including doctors) don't realize these drugs cause physical dependence and require patient-led tapers.

Gigi‎Sep 23

LighthouseZoloft · active

"breakup with a girl and was upset." — @Xlimage

Hi there, and welcome. I was put on medication ten years ago because my ex (the father of my kids) drove his company into liquidation by stealing money. Not once did the doctor hit the brakes and say: "Hey! I shouldn't treat you for depression... it is completely normal that you feel terrible right now. Let's find you some actual tools to cope, like therapy." Life doesn't have a pause button, especially when you are raising two toddlers, and I needed to function. So I went with the quick fix: Zoloft. It really makes me think: what kind of world is this, that just shuts you down with meds when you are going through a perfectly valid life crisis? Everything in your story sounds so familiar. And to top it all off, the fact that most of these medications aren't even available as liquids—leaving it entirely up to the patient to play chemist and figure out how to taper safely—is beyond frustrating. Unfortunately, anger isn't one of my strong suits, so I tend to blame myself a lot for being so naive. But anger would be much more appropriate. And a revolution would be the correct answer.

Withdrawal is not a preview of who you are without the drug.
Zoloft — 10 years, 50 mg — currently 20.5 mg — actively tapering

XlimageSep 23

WelcomerPaxil · active

Thanks for reply. I agree with playing chemist lark. You have to research the drug/symptoms/taper and know more than average chemist and the doctor thinks your being a smart arse or obsessive. I learned quickly that a GP is general medicine and maybe I put them too high on a pedestal....only way is forward...

Paxil — 4.5 — 30 years — actively tapering | without clinician

Gigi‎Sep 24

LighthouseZoloft · active

Hah, exactly. I'm always super careful when I drop phrases like 'I read online' or 'I learned on a forum' in front of my GP. I think he's convinced I'm just an exception. And I pray we really are "just" a few. I wonder if there's any data on the number of people going through this ordeal... BUT I explicitly told the man: please inform people about the process of getting off these types of meds upfront. Not to scare them, but just so they can make a fully informed decision. I honestly have no idea if it even registered with him.

Withdrawal is not a preview of who you are without the drug.
Zoloft — 10 years, 50 mg — currently 20.5 mg — actively tapering

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