Longroadhome: think I may be tapering Seroxat / Paxil too fast

[Longroadhome]

Thank you for your prompt reply Alto 
much appreciated 

LRH 

 

I’ll see how I go next few weeks see if it settles down . If it doesn’t I’ll post one week of daily notes for you to look at if I may?

 

i hope you are keeping well and looking forward to the year ahead . 
 

 

 

[sunnysideup69]

Hey @Longroadhome, thanks for your kind words the other day. Hope you are doing okay today and feeling a bit more settled?

 

Have popped over to your thread. I think I saw you post about WD skin issues before, am I right? I'm asking because I am in WD from Citalopram and 3 months into discontinuation I seem to have developed these weird spots and rashes on my face. (Most annoting- why couldn't they have been hidden.)And some eczema. I suppose it could be from the Venlafaxine, but am much more inclined to think it's a discontinuation effect of Cit. Doc just said it was 'dermatitis.'

 

Wanted to ask you, did you skin stuff ever clear up and what happened- if you don't mind sharing?

Thank you

 

 

 

 

[Longroadhome]

2 hours ago, sunnysideup69 said:

Hey @Longroadhome, thanks for your kind words the other day. Hope you are doing okay today and feeling a bit more settled?

 

Have popped over to your thread. I think I saw you post about WD skin issues before, am I right? I'm asking because I am in WD from Citalopram and 3 months into discontinuation I seem to have developed these weird spots and rashes on my face. (Most annoting- why couldn't they have been hidden.)And some eczema. I suppose it could be from the Venlafaxine, but am much more inclined to think it's a discontinuation effect of Cit. Doc just said it was 'dermatitis.'

 

Wanted to ask you, did you skin stuff ever clear up and what happened- if you don't mind sharing?

Thank you

 

 

 

 

Hi sunnyside!

yr welcome .
still  have skin issues. Hives dermatitis And spots im 59!!! hardly a teenager and well past menopause. 
Hives came 4 months ago and the other skin issues not long after. 
have many other symptoms too. 
how about you ?

are you off all meds now ? 
I don’t write much on my thread at present but read a lot most days . 
 

LRH

Short reply as I’m out for sons bday

will reply in detail tomorrow 

LRH

[sunnysideup69]

13 hours ago, Longroadhome said:

Hi sunnyside!

yr welcome .
still  have skin issues. Hives dermatitis And spots im 59!!! hardly a teenager and well past menopause. 
Hives came 4 months ago and the other skin issues not long after. 
have many other symptoms too. 
how about you ?

are you off all meds now ? 
I don’t write much on my thread at present but read a lot most days . 
 

LRH

Short reply as I’m out for sons bday

will reply in detail tomorrow 

LRH

 

Thanks LRH, no rush to reply.....I've got dermatitis/ eczema and spots and I'm nearly 51, three years post menopause, so I feel you!

 

I'm not off all meds, no. I did a straight switch from Citalopram to Venlafaxine in August last year. About 3 months off the Citalopram is when the skin issues started to creep in...I think it's rom abrupt cessation of the Cit, switching, and all the physical stress this has caused.

[Longroadhome]

1 minute ago, sunnysideup69 said:

 

Thanks LRH, no rush to reply.....I've got dermatitis/ eczema and spots and I'm nearly 51, three years post menopause, so I feel you!

 

I'm not off all meds, no. I did a straight switch from Citalopram to Venlafaxine in August last year. About 3 months off the Citalopram is when the skin issues started to creep in...I think it's rom abrupt cessation of the Cit, switching, and all the physical stress this has caused.

Hi Sunny 

I think you could be right and it’s the ceasing of Cit. as you say these are strong antihistamines and being on them for so long are bound to cause problems when we stop taking . 
I did a very quick taper of Paxil crashed in Feb last year . I was put on pregabalin to help with side effects and came down fast on that because I didn’t like being on it . Ended up stopping both meds for 2.5 days in August. Came  to my senses and from August I’ve remained on 8mg Paxil and 2x25mg Pregabalin. I haven’t stabilised yet and I’m now in a bad wave . 
Hives started after I took a course of antibiotics in September last year and haven’t let up. Some days worse than others . I have dermatitis on the upper part of my face . In my eyebrows and down the side of my nose and on my forehead . This has been better the last few weeks . But it goes like this and then breaks out again . I’ve also had weird spots on my nose. And now spots on my chin . Grrrrr 

Its good to hear you are stabilising on your medication. That must be a relief !!

 

i see you enjoy keeping fit . I’m the same  I go to the gym to do spin and body pump and walk my dog (long walks ) every day making sure I get my steps in and some !! 
 

 you like to draw.  my partner paints and is very good. It relaxes him and I have his canvas work etc around the house. 
 

have a good day Sunny 

LRH 

[sunnysideup69]

Thanks @Longroadhome for your reply. Yes, these skin things are so weird. My spots are really abnormal and just don't clear up. Rashy, spotty....ugh. Oh well. As you say, I've started to stabilise on the Venlafaxine and that's a definite improvement...the last 18 months were hideous.

 

I also did some impulsive things with meds, kept updosing then switched....it's so hard not to over react when feeling so crummy. Sorry you're in a wave right now, really hope it's a short one and that you feel some healing benefits afterwards.

 

God yeah, keeping fit has kept me sane...not sure what I would have done without it! I'd also love to have a go at canvas painting, gonna maybe experiment a bit this year.

Have a good day, LRH  

[Sottana]

LRH, I’m sorry you’re in a wave. 
 

You’ve made a lot of changes over the past year, and that has surely destabilized you. The longer you hold, the more stability you will achieve, until you’re ready to taper again.

 

Keep strong and have faith in the process. Thanks for always looking out for me, you’re going to feel great eventually, believe it!! 
 

Adili

[Sottana]

Also, i have skin issues too and have always wondered how the meds affect this. Acne like a 18 year old at 30 isn’t very fun haha 

[Cocopuffz17]

32 minutes ago, Adili13 said:

Also, i have skin issues too and have always wondered how the meds affect this. Acne like a 18 year old at 30 isn’t very fun haha 

These drugs wreak havoc on the GI tract. About 8 years ago I came down with a 2 week bout of  Erythema Multiforme.... doctors had no idea what caused. I now know about going through all the WD it was caused by the medication and the destruction it caused on my intestines. In my case if I did not change my nutrition to heal my gut my I would still be on my AD. 

[Sottana]

I struggle to be consistent with the nutritional aspect. I’ll be good a couple days then go back to old ways. It’s definitely something to work on 

[Cocopuffz17]

1 minute ago, Adili13 said:

I struggle to be consistent with the nutritional aspect. I’ll be good a couple days then go back to old ways. It’s definitely something to work on 

That’s great. It’s hard to just do a 180..... little bit each day, in a short time you will be improved so much. 

[Longroadhome]

3 hours ago, Adili13 said:

LRH, I’m sorry you’re in a wave. 
 

You’ve made a lot of changes over the past year, and that has surely destabilized you. The longer you hold, the more stability you will achieve, until you’re ready to taper again.

 

Keep strong and have faith in the process. Thanks for always looking out for me, you’re going to feel great eventually, believe it!! 
 

Adili

Hello Adili 

good to hear from you. You’re right I have made too

many changes and I’m still paying the price I’m afraid. 
a bad wave came along Christmas time and I’m still in it. Lots of new symptoms. At least I’ve remained steadfast on my meds since August and will continue to do so until stability happens. 
how are you my friend how has your weekend been ? 
 

LRH 

[Sottana]

LRH,

 

im ok today. Old coworker called me and told me I’m much needed back at work and that I should consider coming back. It really made me want to go back. I feel destabilized still but might go back and just hope for the best. 
 

I didn’t realIze you’d been a wave so long. You’ll get to to more stability soon though, I’m sure of it.

[sunnysideup69]

Good morning LRH. How ya doing? Wishing you a healthy week full of healing  

[Longroadhome]

4 hours ago, sunnysideup69 said:

Good morning LRH. How ya doing? Wishing you a healthy week full of healing  

Hi Sunnyside 

like the name by the way !

im coping shall we say 

lots of symptoms and new ones just keep coming 

waiting it out to stabilise before continuing my journey off these meds 

how are you ? 
looks Like your stabilising which is good

 

LRH  

[sunnysideup69]

53 minutes ago, Longroadhome said:

Hi Sunnyside 

like the name by the way !

im coping shall we say 

lots of symptoms and new ones just keep coming 

waiting it out to stabilise before continuing my journey off these meds 

how are you ? 
looks Like your stabilising which is good

 

LRH  

 

I'm glad you're coping, I know all too well what a pain that is, struggling on with symptoms. Yes, waiting a bit for some stability sounds like a good idea....but this whole thing is a pretty good test of patience, isn't it? I'm doing okay, things have turnes around a bit since Xmas and I seem to be less wobbly. Fingers crossed it lasts....  

 

[Longroadhome]

1 hour ago, sunnysideup69 said:

 

I'm glad you're coping, I know all too well what a pain that is, struggling on with symptoms. Yes, waiting a bit for some stability sounds like a good idea....but this whole thing is a pretty good test of patience, isn't it? I'm doing okay, things have turnes around a bit since Xmas and I seem to be less wobbly. Fingers crossed it lasts....  

 

Don’t change anything that’s the mistake I made by trying to come off the pregabalin because it was given to me to ease side affects  of coming off the Paxil and I objected and tapered tooo quickly and CT both for a few days . And what a mess that left me in !! 
this morning have had a tiny window and it felt sooooooo good . 
 

take care sunny side 

LRH 

[Longroadhome]

Titled:  Liquid to tablets

 

@Shep @Altostrata  @brassmonkeyCan anyone help

ive just been to many pharmacists taking my prescription for liquid Paxil to pick up only to be told they are having hard time getting any. 
what can I do I run out tomorrow? 
didn’t think I’d have a problem never have before . 
I can go get tablets but the lowest dose is 10mg and I’m on 7.2 how do I cut the tablet to get right amount?
it’s Sunday tomorrow and can’t get until Monday. 
What do you suggest? 

many thanks

LRH  

Edited March 9, 2020 by manymoretodays
Spelling, added title, merged to members introduction

[brassmonkey]

If you have some scales that would be the most accurate way to measure your dose. 

 

The quick and dirty way would be to take 3/4 of a 10mgai tablet. Not the most accurate but would do in a pinch.

 

A third way would be to make your own liquid. Dissolve the 10mgai pill in 10mL of water and take 7.2mL for your dose. This would be about as accurate as using a scale.

[Longroadhome]

You’re  a star thank you 

will I have a problem going strait from liquid to tabs ? 

Have no choice but just thought I’d ask 

also how much water do I dissolve with tablet ? 

[Longroadhome]

On 3/7/2020 at 12:20 PM, brassmonkey said:

If you have some scales that would be the most accurate way to measure your dose. 

 

The quick and dirty way would be to take 3/4 of a 10mgai tablet. Not the most accurate but would do in a pinch.

 

A third way would be to make your own liquid. Dissolve the 10mgai pill in 10mL of water and take 7.2mL for your dose. This would be about as accurate as using a scale.

@brassmonkey  is the best way to dissolve tablet in tepid water ? 
What are the best scales to buy for weighing tablets ? 

Edited March 9, 2020 by manymoretodays
Add on, no edit done(mmt)

[Hanna72]

@brassmonkey hi I am so confused on these measurements. Can you help me out. I am down to 1 mg Prozac tablet, we don’t have liquid in my country. I want to go super slow with the rest. I can’t weigh my tablet anymore. 
how should I measure in liquid form. 
thank you

[brassmonkey]

LRH-- the most popular scale here seems to be the gemini-20 easy to get through Amazon. Tepid water would be fine, just not hot, that would damage the active ingredient.

[brassmonkey]

@Hanna72 Welcome to the group.  It sounds like you are having a pretty successful taper. We'd like to hear more about it. Please start an introduction thread for yourself.  That would be the best place to ask questions about your specific needs.  It will keep all you information in one place and make it so you don't get "lost in the works". There are several options you can follow, we can discuss them on your intro thread.

 

 

[Longroadhome]

9 minutes ago, brassmonkey said:

LRH-- the most popular scale here seems to be the gemini-20 easy to get through Amazon. Tepid water would be fine, just not hot, that would damage the active ingredient.

Thank you Brass much appreciated 

LRH

[Colonial]

I'm sorry Your having this problem.

I am lucky enough here in the USA To have a liquid formula that has a 2 year expiration date so I "stocked up" so to speak.

I said to myself, what am I going to do if the ONLY manufacturing plant in the country that makes this stuff goes down because of natural disaster, etc?

So I allowed to keep getting scripts filled at a little bit higher dose than I was taking, so I had a 1 years supply of liquid for an emergency 3 years ago.

Then as I got closer to ZERO, I only kept a 6 months supply in reserve since about 18 months ago.

Now that I'm down towards using so little liquid, I'm getting less filled and using the stock up, so it's not going to waste since it costs so much.

But even now, I still keep a 3 months supply in reserve just in Case of something like this and I have to "Jump off" faster than expected.

Once I feel I have enough in reserve to finish the rest of my taper, I'll just Stop getting it filled and take the last of the stock I have saved up.

Hope you get your liquid back soon. 

 

Interesting side note, though, I also had a med that I've never had a problem getting, that they were only able to give me 5 of the usual 30 pills...

So it may be some sort of pharma wide issue due to the Virus and getting stuff transported if the meds are coming from certain quarantine areas, IDK...

But they had only a small amount of pills left and a bunch of us needing it, so they rationed us each out 5 till later in the week.

 

Just goes to prove, IF You can, and the med doesn't expire very soon, we really all should have as much of a stock pile as we can get for emergency's....

And then rotate the stock for freshness and then just use up the stock towards the end of the taper so it's not wasted med or the money spent purchasing it. It just seemed like common sense to Me, I'm the ONLY PERSON of 25,000 in the area on this concoction, do I think I'm going to be able to Hunt it down in a disaster?  It's not like tylenol that's all over the place that you could "trade" for. Better that and being able to stay home than having to evacuate to some FEMA Camp that has meds stock piled to dose people like us on strange formulas until things are back up and running in a major disaster.

 

 

 

[manymoretodays]

merged back to members introduction.

@Longroadhome  Questions around your case, go nicely, right here on your introduction page.

I just merged a topic back here that you started in success stories. 

Best.  L, P, H, and G,

mmt

[sunnysideup69]

Hello LRH, 

How are you surviving in these turbulent times? Is it impacting upon your WD symptoms? Thinking of you and sending love xxx

[Longroadhome]

2 hours ago, sunnysideup69 said:

Hello LRH, 

How are you surviving in these turbulent times? Is it impacting upon your WD symptoms? Thinking of you and sending love xxx

Hello Sunny 

thank you for asking 

 

i have a Childrens day nursery and like all businesses  the impact has been profound

tomorrow I work with minimal staff ensuring our key work force can leave their children and go to work

usually I have 120 children in attendance most days . From tomorrow that changes to around 20 a day . I will be working alongside 8 staff as opposed to 30. 
 

luckily the government will be paying 80% wage  to staff that are not working and remain home

 

we are also paid a grant from the government for some of our children and this will continue . How ling for  is anyone’s guess.  
 

hopefully these measures will allow my nursery to remain afloat until we re open our doors for business as usual while keeping children safe and allowing our critical workforce to remain in work serving the public

 

regarding WD

yes my symptoms seem more intense as I am extremely stressed 

however there are also things going on in my private life that have added to the stress and also couldn’t get hold of my Paxil liquid med and had to swap to tablets for a week dry cutting (not accurately and was getting slight brain zaps) 

hopefully will settle

im also tapering very slowly brass monkey style which may compound the issue but I’m very determined to continue with this after a long hold from last year 

 

how are you settling have you stabilised 

And how is the virus affecting you ? 
 

good to hear from you 

LRH

[Altostrata]

Hello, Longroadhome, how are you doing?

 

The difficulty going off paroxetine isn't because of it's half-life, it's because it is a powerful SSRI that inhibits its own metabolism. The lower you go in dosage, the faster paroxetine is metabolized, augmenting the amount of decrease. In effect, while you are carefully measuring your dosage, the drug is leaking out faster than 10% (or whatever your rate of decrease might be).

 

Paroxetine is so difficult to taper, some doctors routinely switch patients to fluoxetine so they can finally go off. See The Prozac switch or "bridging" with Prozac

[Longroadhome]

54 minutes ago, Altostrata said:

Hello, Longroadhome, how are you doing?

 

The difficulty going off paroxetine isn't because of it's half-life, it's because it is a powerful SSRI that inhibits its own metabolism. The lower you go in dosage, the faster paroxetine is metabolized, augmenting the amount of decrease. In effect, while you are carefully measuring your dosage, the drug is leaking out faster than 10% (or whatever your rate of decrease might be).

 

Paroxetine is so difficult to taper, some doctors routinely switch patients to fluoxetine so they can finally go off. See The Prozac switch or "bridging" with Prozac

Hi Alto 

Good to hear from you hope you are well and staying safe. 

Im doing ok thank you have started tapering Paxil but symptoms seem to have increased a little .  Think you may have given me the reason why .  
very interesting what you have said about decreasing Paxil.  Would this be a problem for me as I started tapering because of poop out which I now know I had been experiencing for a number of years. So would being in tolerance affect  the switch ?

 

 

[Altostrata]

39 minutes ago, Longroadhome said:

So would being in tolerance affect  the switch ?

 

If you mean a switch to fluoxetine, probably not.

[Longroadhome]

Thank you @Altostrata

This  has been really helpful 

take care 

[sunnysideup69]

Answered you on my thread, thinking it was yours....so have posted here  

Wow, you've had a fair few challenges, then.....ugh! Poopout, what a pain that is. Really wish for you that your symptoms abate as you taper....as your own nervous system takes over again. Or do you think you might do a switch to fluoxetine?

Hope the change of circumstances at home was a happy one, you don't need home stress on top of everything else.

I get that about needing to keep active, I think this lockdown is teaching me that I will never fully retire or else I might go mad! My mind needs something creative /constructive to wrap itself around.

Honestly, I do like my own company, but WD and forced isolation is a bit of a killer. It's been made worse by grieving...this is exactly when I would be wanting to reach out and be with family...but I can't. Been whatsapp calling people a lot just to see some faces.

I'm a primary school teacher. I work part time, 3 days a week and spend the rest of my time recovering from psych drugs and exercising and mucking around in the garden. I like getting out in the fresh air, definitely helps with mood regulation. Am planning on doing a bit of digging this weekend, in fact...seems to soothe me, in some way. 

Giving the jogging a break at the moment and going out for some good, long walks instead. Adding in a bit of yoga for some calming and balance.

 

Also, have you heard from Sassenach? He hasn't been on his thread for ages...wishing him well x

[Longroadhome]

14 hours ago, Altostrata said:

 

If you mean a switch to fluoxetine, probably not.

@Altostrata

 

if you were me how would you cross taper paxil onto fluoxetine going forward 

im on  6.5mg of Paxil 

thank you 

[Cocopuffz17]

Hello, I'll reply on your thread LRH. 

 

I follow a lectin limited lifestyle laid out by Dr.Gundry, This list of foods I follow are here on this Yes/No list. https://drgundry.com/dr-gundrys-print-friendly-yes-no-lists/ Lectins cause inflammation in the human body and it has been proven by this doctor in his over 20 years of practicing restorative medicine. This doctor is one of the best hearts surgeons in the world and quit his job doing that as he realized he can save more lives through nutrition than surgery and he definitely has! 

 

 I had tried 3 times to get off this medication in the past with no nutritional changes. I failed everytime. The two CTs were bad ideas and I legit went crazy and was unable to control myself. The other was a tapered attempt and after about 5 weeks the WDs were too intense I thought it was the return of the original symptoms so I went back on the medication. This time I am now 14 months and 6 days off.... but whose counting  The main reason I was able to stay off this time is a combination of nutritional changes to change my microbiome(over 80% of the serotonin in the body is created in the gut not the brain), mindset and the great help of this forum. I notice when I fall back into old eating habits... my WDs spike big time so it is a great reminder to stick the course and it has helped immensely. 

 

If you have any questions ask away.

 

Everyday that passes is one day closer to being healed