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Is Paxil an MAOI? Is it safe to take MDMA while on Paxil?
| Q: |
I've recently been prescribed a very low dosage of Paxil (10mg, "to start") for the treatment of depression. I have not told the Dr. that I enjoy the occasional Ecstacy trip (for my own reasons).
My question is this; from my research I understand Paxil to be with Prozac in the SSRI family of antidepressants...Meaning that Paxil or Prozac would not be contraindicated with MDMA except for the potential of a "reduced" experience. Yet many sources on the net refer to "antidepressants such as Prozac" as being MAOI inhibitors and therefore dangerous to combine with Ecstacy.
So which is true? |
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| A: |
Paxil and Prozac are both SSRIs and neither are significant MAOIs. We have consistent reports from those who use Paxil and Prozac on a daily basis who say that the effects of MDMA are reduced (from slightly lessened to completely nullified) when it is taken while on either of these anti-depressants. Users also report that temporarily ceasing use of Paxil or Prozac three days before MDMA (re)increases the effects of MDMA, and ceasing a week or more before use restores effects nearly to full. Obviously, messing around with the timing and dosage of a prescribed anti-depressant can lead to unwanted and unpleasant side effects.
Because SSRIs and MDMA both effect the serotonin system, it's possible that combined use could lead to 'serotonin syndrome' in a small number of users. This is significantly less common than when combining MAOIs and MDMA. It's always good to be cautious when combining psychoactives, but many people consider using Prozac before and after MDMA to be the safest method of MDMA use. We have seen little data about whether Paxil acts similarly or not.
If you've been prescribed Paxil for the treatment of depression, it's important to know that the crash after MDMA use can cause mild to severe depresssion for a few days after use in a significant percentage of users. This can be a problem for those already suffering from depression.
Hope this helps.
peace,
fire |
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Categories:
[ MDMA (Ecstasy) ]
[ Paroxetine (Paxil) ]
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