redounet Posted December 17, 2020 Share Posted December 17, 2020 (edited) Hello, I am Réda from FRance. I am here to speak about the health benefice of french wine 🙃 just kiding. I am new in this forum and I need some help concerning some "withdrawal" symptoms that don't fit the regular Paxil discontinuation symptoms. I have been off Paxil for 4 months now. I used Paxil for around 15 years. I begun using it since I was 18 years old (for depression). Tried to stop several times but failed, until the last try. I chose to stop because I begun feeling stressed and really aggressive toward everybody. I tapered from : * 20mg to 15mg --it was hard, but bearable. * 15mg to 10mg --it was hard, but bearable (anxiety, agressivess) * 10 mg to 5mg --it was hell (panic attacks, urge to harm people, I wanted to sleep all day, cry all day, confusion, memory problems, I became a fearfull person, could not take any decision). I stayed on 5mg for one year until I became more stable. *5mg to 0mg -- it felt not that hard, but after 30 day, I begun experiencing some strange symptoms, I felt numbness in the left part of my body with a pain in the arm. I checked with a neurologist all the tests results are ok. He gave me Pregabalin which I used few days and then he switched to Amytriptiline. With the Amytriptiline everything went bad (I used it 10 days). * I am experiencing intense muscle twitching and cramping everywhere. Which is continuing now. * My Jaw is painfull everytime. * My tongue is stiff in the base from time to time. * My throat feels stiff. * I feel internal tremor, everywhere all the time...can't sleep. * I have an internal sensation that I want to cry even if I am not sad. It hits me from time to time. It is like a vibration. I have been off Amytripline for more than 80 days and the same symptoms continues. So I do not think it has something to do with Amytriptyline. I am struggling a little bit as I checked several website and this is not something that come back for Paxil. Also, it is strange that the symptoms appear this late after stopping paxil. Is there someone who experienced this kind of symptoms, for Paxil or another SSRI? Feel free to give me your thoughts. Edited December 17, 2020 by manymoretodays user name to topic, moved to Introductions Deroxat (paxil) 20mg since 2005 (18 years old). **August 2018 --> From 20 mg to 15mg **September 2018 --> From 15 mg to 10mg **October 2018 --> From 10mg to 5mg **August 2020 --> From 5mg to 0mg. Current dose 0mg Pragabilin 50mg (Lyrica) For one week in september 2020. Current dose 0 mg Amytriptyline 25mg For two weeks in september/october 2020. Current dose 0mg Link to comment
Moderator Emeritus Sunnyday Posted December 20, 2020 Moderator Emeritus Share Posted December 20, 2020 (edited) Welcome @redounet, I'm sorry it took a while to respond to your post. It's not very uncommon for the symptoms to appear a few months after we stop the drugs. Do withdrawal symptoms always show up right away? Delayed onset We ask that all members create their own drug signature. That way we can give better advice. Here's how to do that: Please summarize your withdrawal history in your signature People experience many different symptoms coming of these kinds of drugs. Below is a checklist to give you an idea, but these are far from the only ones: Dr. Joseph Glenmullen's withdrawal symptom checklist Here are also two topics where other members talk about some of the symptoms you seem to be experiencing. You might find something helpful in there: Occasional neuromuscular symptoms: tics, twitches, fasciculations, spasms, cramps, restless legs Facial tics, jaw, tongue muscle tension and pain, bruxism, teeth clenching, TMJ Please feel free to ask if you wonder about anything I've said or linked. This is your own introduction topic where you can ask questions, complete your drug signature and get support from others. There is a lot of information, so please see this post as a reference rather than something where you have to read everything right away. But creating a signature is the first step so we can better help you. Edited December 20, 2020 by Sunnyday 2011-2015: Escitalopram (Cipralex) 20 mg, Voxra 300 mg (quit Voxra in late 2015, no issues) 2016: Started tapering Escitalopram 5 mg at a time, every fourth week July 24th, 2016: Escitalopram 5 mg April 2nd, 2017: Quit last dosage (WD worsened a lot) Ca 6 last months of 2017: Taking Diazepam 15-25 mg irregularly, less than once a month Ca Dec 2017: Out of Diazepam, i.e free from all prescribed drugs Now: Still drug free Supplements: Irregular intake of Omega-3, magnesium, vitamin D. Link to comment
redounet Posted December 20, 2020 Author Share Posted December 20, 2020 Thanks Sunnyday for the links, The signature is ok now. I have checked the links you gave me and I can say that twitching cramps and jaw pain seems common for paxil WD among, the people on the forum. The scary thing is that some people have these WD symptoms for several years. Deroxat (paxil) 20mg since 2005 (18 years old). **August 2018 --> From 20 mg to 15mg **September 2018 --> From 15 mg to 10mg **October 2018 --> From 10mg to 5mg **August 2020 --> From 5mg to 0mg. Current dose 0mg Pragabilin 50mg (Lyrica) For one week in september 2020. Current dose 0 mg Amytriptyline 25mg For two weeks in september/october 2020. Current dose 0mg Link to comment
Moderator Emeritus manymoretodays Posted December 22, 2020 Moderator Emeritus Share Posted December 22, 2020 Welcome redounet, Your signature looks good, excellent, thank you. Focus on improvements. Don't go with the scary. And oh my gosh......Great avatar!!! Masked cat. We've got a couple in the Success Stories Forum, who are also Paxil survivors. You'll see that forum from the Home Page. brassmonkey and areillab are their user names. Welcome aboard! Love, peace, healing, and hope, manymoretodays(mmt) Late 2023- gone to emeritus status, inactive, don't @ me, I can check who I've posted on, and I'm not really here like I used to be......thanks. Started with psycho meds/psychiatric care circa 1988. In retrospect, and on contemplation, situational overwhelm. Rounding up to 30 years of medications(30 medication trials, poly-pharmacy maximum was 3 at one time). 5/28/2015-off Adderal salts 2.5mg. (I had been on that since hospital 10/2014) 12/2015---just holding, holding, holding, with trileptal/oxcarb at 75 mg. 1/2 tab at hs. My last psycho med ever! Tapered @ 10% every 4 weeks, sometimes 2 weeks to 2016 Dec 16, medication free!! Longer signature post here, with current supplements. Herb and alcohol free since 5/15/2016. And.....I quit smoking 11/2021. Lapsed. Redo of quit smoking 9/28/2022, and again finally 5/25/24. Can you say Hallelujah?(took me long enough)💜 None of my posts are intended as medical advice. Please discuss any decisions about your medical care with a knowledgeable medical provider. My success story: Blue skies ahead, clear sailing Link to comment
Moderator Emeritus Sunnyday Posted December 25, 2020 Moderator Emeritus Share Posted December 25, 2020 @redounetThanks redounet for the signature. I agree with manymoretodays that focusing on the improvements helps a lot when going through this. I wasn't on Paxil, but I was on two other antidepressants and am recovered. So are many others. I think the problem is that many who recover don't write a success story because they want to continue with their lives as soon as possible and leave the forum, which is understandable. And yes, some have them for years but some have them for less than that. Most make some improvements during that time, even if they're not recovered completely. So I think many times the first time period is the worst while the later stages are more manageable. Feel free to make updates in this topic, whether you see improvements or worsening of symptoms. It can be very helpful to keep a record so that it becomes easier to notice the progress we make. Otherwise it's very easy to forget or not notice, especially during wd waves. I hope you're managing okay. Take care. 2011-2015: Escitalopram (Cipralex) 20 mg, Voxra 300 mg (quit Voxra in late 2015, no issues) 2016: Started tapering Escitalopram 5 mg at a time, every fourth week July 24th, 2016: Escitalopram 5 mg April 2nd, 2017: Quit last dosage (WD worsened a lot) Ca 6 last months of 2017: Taking Diazepam 15-25 mg irregularly, less than once a month Ca Dec 2017: Out of Diazepam, i.e free from all prescribed drugs Now: Still drug free Supplements: Irregular intake of Omega-3, magnesium, vitamin D. Link to comment
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