Switching from Paxil to Prozac

I am about to switch from Paxil to Prozac, and am wondering about any of your experiences with the switch. I have been reading that a direct switch is supposed to be better than the tapering off of Paxil first. Would any of you please share your experience with the two? Thanks so much!

I have done this and I was told it was easier to get off the Prozac then the Paxil. I didn't have any problems with it. I am thinking about doing the same thing again. I will know more tomorrow because I am finally getting in to see the Dr.. I will post more tomorrow after I go.

A number of years back, my pdoc had read that you could change a full dose of paxil to a full dose of prozac over night. It made me very sick and my t and pdoc became very concerned. My pdoc said that she would never do that switch so quickly again.

I was disoriented, extremely sleepy, and anxious. I don't remember much else because I was so sick and confused (and it was a while ago now). One day I slept like 18 hours.

EJ

Paxil is the only med I ever noticed any withdrawal from and I started a new one right away and basically quit the paxil cold turkey. I had flu like symptoms for about three weeks. At the time they said paxil was the worse for withdrawal. Now they say it is Effexor. I have gone on and off Effexor many times but I always switched to something else right away. I have never had withdrawal effects except for the short time with paxil. Of course this could be because I always started a new one right away.

Personally I would start the prozac right away and do a taper at the same time off of the paxil.

I agree here. I've quit Lexapro and Paxil cold Turkey and had withdrawals from both. I felt awful. When I switched from celexa to Lexapro however, I tapered off celexa while starting lexapro at a low dose, and I felt fine.

After 2 months of tapering, I've been off Paxil for about 3 days. I'm experiencing brain zaps, upset stomach and I just feel weird. I've been on Paxil a very long time and knew the withdrawal would be difficult.

Usually Prozac is considered one of the more stimulating of the SSRI's. Paxil usually is less stimulating and can cause more lethargic side effects or is neutral. Lexapro has the fewest side effects in most studies. The main thing about Prozac and Paxil are their half lives.So, basically the longer the half life, usually the easier the w.d. Prozac has the longest half life of all of the SSRI's. I am sure your pdoc/doc is doing a slow taper

Heres a good paper on it:
Selecting a Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor: Clinically Important Distinguishing Features

Antidepressant Comparison Chart

https://www.google.com/search?q=char...rticle_pr%2525

http://www.oncologypractice.com/co/j...s/0206528t.pdf

Basically if you just do a slow taper. You should be fine. Your pdoc will probably want you to wait a few days between discontinuation and starting fluoxetine. So as, to prevent serotonin syndrome.
All of this needs to be handled with your mental health care providers with a slow taper. You shouldn't have to much of a problem, IMHO.

I'm having a hard time staying off Paxil. I have headaches, nausea, tingling of my lips and brain zaps. How long do withdrawal symptoms last?

I had a horrible withdrawal from paxil at the beginning of June. I tapered very quickly, less than two weeks. The first two days completely off, I vomited, had vertigo/dizzy spells and fits of rage. Irritability and sobbing fits for 6 weeks. Then I started back on 300 mgs lithium and it has helped some. I miss being happy which I blame on not having the paxil, but honestly, the stress in my life also increased like tenfold so who knows. I'm hoping to get back to pdoc sometime this month, but even though I miss paxil, I don't know I want it back, I never want to go through that withdrawal again!

I had to take about 10 mgs. today, I just couldn't function.
I've been on Paxil for about 20 yrs. and was taking 60 mgs. I dropped my dosage to 30 mgs. for about a month and then down to 15 mgs. for a month. I thought at 15 mgs, I could just stop.
Obviously that's not the case, so I'm going to try 10 mgs. for a little while and slowly taper from that dosage. This withdrawal really sucks, I've never been through something like this before.

Did the Paxil quit working Jolisse? 20 years is a long time for one to work.

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I've been feeling very good, due to a change in environment and other life changes. I'm on multiple medications and feel at this point, I would like to start coming off at least one of them.
I've been having severe side effects from Paxil for years. I now feel the side effects are inhibiting my quality of life. Mentally I'm doing fine with the tapering, it's the physical withdrawal that's the problem.