2003
This is Survivor Story number 45.
Total number of stories in current database is 77
10/1/2003
I Withdrew Successfully from Paxil
Antidepressants
“I was able to finally completely wean myself from this medication using (Ann Blake-Tracy’s) instructions…”
My story is in no way tragic. I am an older man (63) and suffered a stroke in 1989 while working in California. I was informed that I would not be able to return to work and since I could not afford to remain living there, I moved to Arkansas. Upon moving here, I located a local GP who was to become my stroke doctor; who I was to see regularly for checkups on my condition. I was prescribed Paxil by this GP supposedly for depression. I informed him that I was not depressed but he prescribed the Paxil anyway. In fact, this doctor prescribed eight (8) other drugs for me during my first few visits. A couple of these drugs had also been prescribed by my stroke doctor in California.
As I mentioned before, my story is not tragic but I do know that the drug Paxil can drastically affect ones behavior when that person abruptly stops taking it. About two years ago, I decided to just stop taking the Paxil and so I did. Within a couple of days, I was experiencing very weird sensations that I was not in control of my feelings, I was dizzy and disoriented, and I was experiencing very weird sounds within my head. I could not sleep and was not interested in eating or taking care of myself. I had no idea what was wrong and just attributed my behavior as something my stroke had caused.
During this time, I was in the habit of regularly listening to a talk show each night over the internet called Rense.com. This particular night, Dr Ann Tracy was the guest on that show and she mentioned Paxil and other SSRIs that could cause the problems I was experiencing. I called in to the show and she informed me how to gradually stop taking the Paxil. So, the next day, using a fingernail file as she had instructed, I began filing maybe a fraction of a millimeter from the end of each pill that I then placed into my weekly medicine box. I continued doing this for about eight months, each week filing just a little more off the pill. Once I was back on the Paxil, these weird sensations that I was experiencing went away and I was able to finally completely wean myself from this medication using her instructions and was able to stop taking it entirely.
I have since internally questioned each and every drug that this GP has prescribed for me and I am now trying to wean myself from all the prescription drugs he has prescribed for me and replace them with natural herbal medications. I am feeling much better now and feel so sorry for all those that are forced to take these prescriptions against their wishes as I feel that they are very dangerous indeed.
Ronald Stanley
1205 Crestridge St.
Mountain View, AR 72560
