Posted by Janelle on August 2, 2003, at 14:38:36
In reply to Changing from Paxil to Zoloft, posted by Sleepy Susan on August 2, 2003, at 8:32:31
Hi,
First I'd just *warn* you that just because the Paxil was working for your daughter does NOT mean Zoloft will. It's always a crap shoot with these a-d's and sometimes a person has to try several of them before hitting on the one that works! I hope Zoloft works for your daughter.
That said, I was on Paxil (30 mg, increasing to 40 mg occasionally if I felt like I was heading downhill) for many years before it started inducing hypomania then pooped out.
At the time it stopped working for me, the news had just come out about Paxil's withdrawal problems, my pdoc at the time was uninformed and she took me off very quickly, basically a 4-day or so *taper* from 30 mg to nothing! I got SOOOOOO sick - more nauseous than I've ever felt (but could not actually barf), plus hot and cold sweats, and other flu-like symptoms that persisted for days.
My suggestion (and it's only my humble idea) wuold be for your daughter to go from the 25mg Paxil to the 12.5's for TWO weeks and then a couple of days off and then start with the starter pack on the Zoloft. The Zoloft starter pack is fine; dosing on Zoloft can ultimately go into the hundreds (I tried that one too; didn't work).
I think if you have your daughter taper off the Paxil over 2 weeks at 12.5, then stopping it, that would be safer in terms of avoiding the discontinuation issues.
You said that you still wonder why they aren't admitting it is a 'withdrawl' issue -- what do you mean by this? I have read statements from the Paxil manufacturer and seen ads on TV where it is stated that one must go off that med gradually to avoid withdrawal. I think the FDA has made them put a warning on the package insert.
Good luck!
poster:Janelle
thread:247549
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20030802/msgs/247605.html