Nicolas45140: switching Paxil to Lexapro

[Nicolas45140]

Hello 
nicolas, 47yo, French and seeking a way to stop meds.

I have been on paxil for 22years with some change during this time with effexor but always came back to paxil.

in 99 my doc gave me médications for Light anxiety….. 

well now that i feel that paxil poop out i switched for lexapro but alter 9 months Still having symptoms tinitus, anxiety, insomnia, headach, neck pain and all. 
could it be withdrawal of paxil even if i stopped it for lexapro ? I bélieve i am underdosing lexapro compare to paxil but does time will make symptoms go away? 
thanks for reading 

[Nicolas45140]

Nicolas45140, wants to know more about withdrawal

 

Hello, im Nicolas, french, 47 and on antidepressant for 23years. For a light anxiety i got prescribed paxil and others 20mg and stayed that way for all these years with switches during this period but always came back to paxil. Now on lexapro 5mg but Having lots of symptôms since 9 months after my switch. (Insomnia, tinnitus, anxiety, neck tension, etc….) 

i wish to find help here to understand whats is going on. 
thank you 

Nicolas 

 

Edited June 13, 2022 by ChessieCat
added Intro topic title before merging with intro topic

[ChessieCat]

Member posted this information elsewhere which might provide more details:

 

  

7 hours ago, Nicolas45140 said:

Hello, 

I have exactly the same problem at the moment. I was on 20mg Paxil, and i think has its stopped working, my psychiatrist changed my treatment for lexapro 5mg. To be on the same level of action, i should have 10mg of lexapro for an equivalent dosage of previous paxil. Its been 9 months i switched and have waves and windows, with tinitus, insomnia, anxiety, neck pain and tension headach.... I could not understand why after 9 months and still with another SSRI, i do have withdrawal and feeling like hell. 

Underdosing ? withdrawal ? 

Should I wait to feel better ? should I change lexapro for another SSRI ? If someone has the same problem, i would be glad and happy to discuss with to help me 

 

[Altostrata]

Welcome, @Nicolas45140

 

On 6/12/2022 at 11:54 AM, Nicolas45140 said:

well now that i feel that paxil poop out i switched for lexapro but alter 9 months Still having symptoms tinitus, anxiety, insomnia, headach, neck pain and all. 

 

Did you switch directly from Paxil to Lexapro? When did these symptoms start? How has your symptom pattern changed since the end of February?

 

Have you discussed these symptoms with your prescriber?

[Nicolas45140]

1 hour ago, Altostrata said:

Welcome, @Nicolas45140

 

 

Did you switch directly from Paxil to Lexapro? When did these symptoms start? How has your symptom pattern changed since the end of February?

 

Have you discussed these symptoms with your prescriber?

Hello,

Yes i switched directly from paxil to lexapro.  I cant really remember When my symptoms started, i Know that first week of switch was so cool, sleeping so well, no anxiety, etc…. Then symptoms arrived.  Since february, symptoms passed and comes back…. (Waves and windows ??)

i dont talk to my prescriber cause withdrawal isnt an issue for him, he is the kind of psychiatrist to give you more and more médications (he was thinking about giving me tegretol bécause antidepressants isnt the right médication)

but my second psychiatrist to help me tapering, mark horowitz says that it could be discontinuation syndrome and still withdrawal paxil even if i fake lexapro. He says patience. 

[Altostrata]

I agree with Dr. Horowitz.

 

4 hours ago, Nicolas45140 said:

Since february, symptoms passed and comes back…. (Waves and windows ??)

 

Are your symptoms getting better or worse since the end of February?

 

How do you feel before and after taking Lexapro?

[Nicolas45140]

On 6/15/2022 at 6:09 AM, Altostrata said:

I agree with Dr. Horowitz.

 

 

Are your symptoms getting better or worse since the end of February?

 

How do you feel before and after taking Lexapro?

Hello @Altostrata 

Im sorry, didn’t see your questions.

my symptoms are not getting better and not getting worse. after reading lots of expériences on SA, i could say that my deroxat poopout, that why i wasn’t Well with a anxiety. My french psy choose to change my 20mg Paxil for 10mg seroplex but after couple of days for différent reasons, we decided to go down at 5mg. 
when i changed to lexapro, the first week was just great…. Superb sleep, no anxiety, no symptôms and after 10 days…. I started to have all the symptoms (headach, anxiety, insomnia, tinitus, etc….) 

symptoms are not all the Time…. And not all at the same Time. 

and Now after 9 months, i feel stuck because i dont see improvment. Is it Paxil withdrawal ? Is it lexapro underdosage so i am withdrawal….

should i stay and wait like that ? Should i try 10mg seroplex to stabilized and start to taper later ? 
not a lot of people in the same situation could help i guess…. 
 

 

[Altostrata]

What are your most troubling current symptoms? How do you feel before and after taking 5mg Lexapro?

 

Is it your intention to go off Lexapro?

[Nicolas45140]

@Altostrata

the most troubling current  symptoms for me would be « anxiety », feeling worried without any reasons 

I dont understand how i feel before and after taking 5mg lexapro. Before i was feeling not great cause Paxil didn’t work as before and after taking lexapro 5mg….Well I feel ok with my symptoms who comes and goes. 
 

yes my intention is to go off lexapro 

[Nicolas45140]

Hello Everyone stuck on Paxil. @Altostrata @ChessieCat

Sorry for my English as I am French Speaker.

I read a lot here that switching isn't too good when paxil pooped out. That's what I did 9 months ago and from 20mg paxil, I switched for 5mg lexapro/seroplex/escitalopram and for the past 9 months a suffer from all symptoms like insomnia, headache top of the head and in the back of the head too, feeling very tensed inside, anxiety of course (most annoying i would say) and I feel desesperate as symptomes wont go away. there is better days and worse ones too but I don't know if i have to wait more time to heal or change plan. I am still able to work, enjoy time with my kids and having a family to count on but after 9 months i was thinking that my brain washed out paxil since then. apparently not.  Hope to have help from some people who experienced the same situations. @Blakes7Blakes7 had a bit of the same story of mine.... but not there anymore. 

If this post could go where i might find some guidelines.... help....ideas.... 

Take care all of you. I am sure we will all win this fight !!! 

Nicolas, France,Paris

 

[Altostrata]

Hello, @Nicolas45140 I moved your post here because we're already discussing the answers to your question. We ask people to put questions about their own tapering and withdrawal in their Introductions topic so we don't have to answer the same question in different locations.

 

How do you feel each day, before you take Lexapro and after you take Lexapro? 

 

On 6/14/2022 at 5:04 PM, Nicolas45140 said:

Since february, symptoms passed and comes back…. (Waves and windows ??)

 

How do you feel now, on average, compared to how you felt in February? Better, worse, the same?

[Nicolas45140]

7 hours ago, Altostrata said:

Hello, @Nicolas45140 I moved your post here because we're already discussing the answers to your question. We ask people to put questions about their own tapering and withdrawal in their Introductions topic so we don't have to answer the same question in different locations.

 

How do you feel each day, before you take Lexapro and after you take Lexapro? 

 

 

How do you feel now, on average, compared to how you felt in February? Better, worse, the same?

 

symptoms are not getting better and not getting worse. after reading lots of expériences on SA, i could say that my deroxat poopout, that why i wasn’t Well with a anxiety. My french psy choose to change my 20mg Paxil for 10mg seroplex but after couple of days for différent reasons, we decided to go down at 5mg. 

when i changed to lexapro, the first week was just great…. Superb sleep, no anxiety, no symptôms and after 10 days…. I started to have all the symptoms (headach, anxiety, insomnia, tinitus, etc….) 

symptoms are not all the Time…. And not all at the same Time. 

 

and Now after 9 months, i feel stuck because i dont see improvment. Is it Paxil withdrawal ? Is it lexapro underdosage so i am withdrawal….

 

should i stay and wait like that ? Should i try 10mg seroplex to stabilized and start to taper later ? 
not a lot of people in the same situation could help i guess…. 

 

Edited June 23, 2022 by ChessieCat
Resized font added spacing

[Nicolas45140]

I try that and we will see…

[Altostrata]

How do you feel each day, before you take Lexapro and after you take Lexapro? 

[Nicolas45140]

27 minutes ago, Altostrata said:

How do you feel each day, before you take Lexapro and after you take Lexapro? 

Before lexapro : anxiety and insomnia while taking 20mg Paxil 

after switching for 5mg lexapro, symptoms started head pressure, headache, anxiety, insomnia, tinitus. Some days are better than others. 

[Altostrata]

No, I mean how do you feel before and after you take your 5mg Lexapro dose each day, NOW. What time o'clock do you take it?

[Nicolas45140]

@Altostrata

ohh sorry. I take my 4,5mg lexapro every morning during my breakfast around 7.am i would say. 
how i feel is difficult to answer as morning first hours im a bit anxious , nothing severe. 
and after taking it…. Well i dont see a différence. 

[Nicolas45140]

Hello everyone,

Its been 2 days i changed my dosage to 4mg lexapro. Well, muscle pain in the neck, headache (pain On thé top of the skull like a niddle going inside my head) and sensitive to light and of course nausea. 
i guess that will last some days… 

[Altostrata]

Please keep daily notes of times o’clock you take your drugs, their dosages, and your symptoms throughout the day. We need to know how you feel before and after taking each drug, and your symptoms in between. Post 24 hours of notes at a time in this topic, in a simple list format with time o’clock on the left and notation (symptom or drug and dosage) on the right.

[Nicolas45140]

Bedtime 10.30pm mood ok. Feeling sleepy. No symptoms. 
5am wake up 
6am out of bed. Difficult to start the day no anxiety. No symptoms. 

breakfast : coffee and almond milk + bread/butter

7am taking escitalopram 4mg and magnesium + fish oil 

9am light anxiety without major reasons 

headache on the top of the head and in the neck. diarrhea.

5pm light anxiety + headache 

10pm feeling ok. 

 

[Altostrata]

Do you feel better or worse after you take Lexapro at 7 a.m.?

[Nicolas45140]

10 minutes ago, Altostrata said:

Do you feel better or worse after you take Lexapro at 7 a.m.?

I dont feel better or worse. Never noticed in years différence between before or after taking the médication. 

[Altostrata]

Please continue daily notes.

[Nicolas45140]

Day at work. Home at 9pm

Diarhea and little headache (tension headache) and 

10.45pm    Bedtime

12.00am wake up no symptoms 

2.00am wake up no symptoms 

4.00am wake up no symptoms 

7.00am wake up and out of bed 

feeling sleepy and groggy 

7.30am 4mg lexapro/escitalopram + fish oil + magnésium

11.00am tinitus (but most of the day) 

1.00pm to 7.00pm anxiety, feeling worried without any reasons

 

seems like paroxetine WD is slowly going away. 

 

 

 

[Altostrata]

We prefer to see 24 hours of notes at a time. Thanks.

[Nicolas45140]

8 hours ago, Altostrata said:

We prefer to see 24 hours of notes at a time. Thanks.

Hello. With all respect i have and i probably misunderstood but i do write from morning to next morning… 24hours.

Am i got it wrong ? 
nicolas 

[Altostrata]

On 6/30/2022 at 11:30 PM, Nicolas45140 said:

Day at work. Home at 9pm

Diarhea and little headache (tension headache) and 

10.45pm    Bedtime

12.00am wake up no symptoms 

2.00am wake up no symptoms 

4.00am wake up no symptoms 

7.00am wake up and out of bed 

feeling sleepy and groggy 

7.30am 4mg lexapro/escitalopram + fish oil + magnésium

11.00am tinitus (but most of the day) 

1.00pm to 7.00pm anxiety, feeling worried without any reasons

 

What happened after 7 p.m.?

[Nicolas45140]

7am 4mg Lexapro + fish oil + Magnesium 

8.00am Headache and light anxiety + tinnitus

8.30am Mountain Bike for 90mn 

10.00am shower 

day work 

1.30pm Taking a nap 75mn 

3.00pm light anxiety or more like worrying about something I dont really know why...

5.00pm Spa/jacuzzi trying to relax

7.30pm dinner time 

11.00pm sleeping time. Im OK as usual night time 

4.00 am waking up with early anxiety (trying to fall asleep again) 

5.00 am Same 

6.00 am same (anxiety/shaking/tense jaws)

7.am out of bed

[Altostrata]

20 hours ago, Nicolas45140 said:

7am 4mg Lexapro + fish oil + Magnesium 

8.00am Headache and light anxiety + tinnitus

 

How long does the headache and tinnitus last? Do you wake up with these symptoms, before you take Lexapro?

[Nicolas45140]

14 minutes ago, Altostrata said:

 

How long does the headache and tinnitus last? Do you wake up with these symptoms, before you take Lexapro?

Hello, 

headache isn’t every morning. Tinnitus last since i switch paroxetine to lexapro (9months) so i wake up with tinnitus before i take lexapro. And for Now, early anxiety from 3am with jaws and legs shaking. I fall asleep few Times between 3 and 7am. 
 

 

[Altostrata]

Sounds like tinnitus is from paroxetine withdrawal. Please indicate what symptoms increase after you take Lexapro.

[Nicolas45140]

On 7/6/2022 at 12:10 AM, Altostrata said:

Sounds like tinnitus is from paroxetine withdrawal. Please indicate what symptoms increase after you take Lexapro.

There is no symptoms that increase when I take lexapro. Tinnitus is getter better. still there but less stronger. muscle pain is getter better too. 

I was at 4 mg Lexapro and went down to 3,5mg after 1month. well, anxiety is back much stronger. I guess it will last couple of days. 

I didn't know that a tiny reduction could make anxiety/worried stronger. No panic attack, no dizziness, no brain zap. only anxiety.

[Altostrata]

Good to hear the tinnitus is fading.

 

On 7/25/2022 at 6:36 AM, Nicolas45140 said:

I didn't know that a tiny reduction could make anxiety/worried stronger.

 

This is why we recommend 10% reductions. Your reduction from 4mg to 3.5mg was a 12.5% reduction. Mild withdrawal symptoms are a warning sign. Please read Tips for tapering off escitalopram (Lexapro)
 

[Nicolas45140]

On 7/26/2022 at 8:49 PM, Altostrata said:

Good to hear the tinnitus is fading.

 

 

This is why we recommend 10% reductions. Your reduction from 4mg to 3.5mg was a 12.5% reduction. Mild withdrawal symptoms are a warning sign. Please read Tips for tapering off escitalopram (Lexapro)
 

Hello altostrata, and thank you so much to follow my post and help me out. You right, my réduction was too high. I had 3 or 4 days with mild withdrawal symptoms. I Will do my 10% from Now on ones a month. (Followed by dr horowitz) 

maybe you could help me out as i am trying to find on SA, stories or help from people who had very bad General anxiety disorder after couple of weeks from 0mg…. 
it happened to me when i tried to wean off Paxil years ago. I didn’t know about SA and my family doc put me back on Paxil. 
well…. It was a slow taper… not a 10% one but 20mg, then 10mg for 2 months, then 5mg for 2 months, 2,5mg and stopped. This journey was Good as no anxiety… just dizziness. 
well, Now its not the same story… its been 22 years on it. 
have a Good day and thank you again and hope maybe you could light me up on post withdrawal. 
take care 

nicolas 

[Altostrata]

Please see our Success Stories forum.

[Nicolas45140]

Hello altostrata, 

Hope your fine. I went to check the website of peter C gotzschle from denmark and he gives a list of psychiatrist who could help to taper off drugs.... none from France !! Unbelievable ! 

Well, my question after listening to peter who says that long term use of drugs could lead to permanent brain damage. We can see that most of the success story of the long users are almost fully recovered. 

How do we know if have permanent brain damage after being free of drugs and having symptoms back after a month or more being free. 

 

THank you 

 

nicolas