vicuta: paroxetine withdrawal hell

[vicuta]

Hello all,

 

My name is Vicuta, 45 y old, my history (in short) : I had a sister-in-law who was diagnosed with a brain tumor and it affected me enormously.

She had surgery and recovered, but in the meantime I developed a great depression and anxiety and since then I went to psychologists, I did meditations, but out of desperation I also went to a psychiatrist.

 

I was prescribed paroxetine from  18.10.2020 till 10.02.2022 x 20 mg tablet.

But I was gaining weight and decided to get off it and my psychiatrist decided to get me off (very fast, as I learned now) from it.

In 2 months I was off. Took 1 pill 1 day, the other day none, about 20-30 days, the the other 20-30 days half of pill, the other day none.

 

I know now from what I read here that is a big big mistake.

I am suffering terrible withdrawals. 

 

 

I have already 4 months off. What it is best in this situation ? A reinstatement would be to late ? Or should I try a low dose to see if it still works and slowly taper ?

[getofflex]

Hello, and welcome to SA.  We are a volunteer-run community of people who have been or are getting off of psychiatric drugs.  I'm very sorry to hear that your psychiatrist tapered you incorrectly this way.  What withdrawal symptoms are you having?  How is your sleep?  How is your eating?  Are you able to function? (work, go to school, care for family, etc). 

 

Can you please give us specific information in your signature about your drug history for all drugs you are on and have been on, especially for the past 18-24 months?  It would be especially helpful to have the details of your drugs in a concise vertical list (no symptoms), only drug names, specific dates (as best you can say for example early March if you don't recall the day) and dosages of each medication decrease or increase.  Use this format:

 

Drug name: date, dose, date, dose, date, dose…

Drug name: date, dose, date, dose, date, dose…

Etcetera

 

Please read the link below for instructions.  This will allow us to give you the best guidance.  

 

How to List Drug History in Signature

 

Here is some important information about how these drugs actually work.  This explains why we get symptoms from going off of these medications, and why it's so important to taper slowly and carefully, and be very cautious about changing our doses: 

 

How Psychiatric Drugs Remodel Your Brain

 

 

This helps you understand what withdrawal syndrome is: 

 

Video on Recovery from Psych Drugs

 

Windows and Waves Pattern of Stabilization

 

 

Here is a link with checklists of common WD symptoms: 

 

Dr Joseph Glenmullen Withdrawal Symptom Checklists

 

 

Here are some techniques to cope with symptoms: 

 

Non Drug Ways to Cope with Withdrawal Symptoms

 

Stability is really important when we are tapering off psych meds.  Please read the link about stability:

 

Keep It Simple, Slow, and Stable

 

 

We don't suggest many supplements, but 2 that many of us find helpful are magnesium and omega-3 fish oil. Here are the links for info about those. It is suggested to add one at a time, and start with a low dose to see how it affects you. 

Magnesium

Omega 3 Fish Oil

 

Finally, going back on a small dose of your drug, which we call reinstatement, is best done very carefully.  This is temporary, and after stabilizing you would then taper gradually off of this.  There is some risk involved, and we need more specifics about your drug history before we can suggest a good dose at which to reinstate.  Here is some information about reinstatement.  

 

About Reinstating and Stabilizing to Reduce Withdrawal Symptoms

 

The sooner you reinstate, the better the chance that it will work, so keep that in mind.  Let us know if you decide to reinstate. 

[vicuta]

Hello and thank you for replying.

 

18 hours ago, getofflex said:

Hello, and welcome to SA.  We are a volunteer-run community of people who have been or are getting off of psychiatric drugs.  I'm very sorry to hear that your psychiatrist tapered you incorrectly this way.  What withdrawal symptoms are you having?  How is your sleep?  How is your eating?  Are you able to function? (work, go to school, care for family, etc). 

 

My symptoms are terrible anxiety, always mood of crying and depression / sadness. My sleep and eating are not so good. I am not able to function, I am doing very bad after this very fast taper / CT from my doctor's advise.

 

18 hours ago, getofflex said:

Can you please give us specific information in your signature about your drug history for all drugs you are on and have been on, especially for the past 18-24 months?  It would be especially helpful to have the details of your drugs in a concise vertical list (no symptoms), only drug names, specific dates (as best you can say for example early March if you don't recall the day) and dosages of each medication decrease or increase.  Use this format:

 

Finally, going back on a small dose of your drug, which we call reinstatement, is best done very carefully.  This is temporary, and after stabilizing you would then taper gradually off of this.  There is some risk involved, and we need more specifics about your drug history before we can suggest a good dose at which to reinstate.  Here is some information about reinstatement.  

 

The sooner you reinstate, the better the chance that it will work, so keep that in mind.  Let us know if you decide to reinstate. 

 

I've provided already the signature with all my psychiatrics medication.

What dose shall I try to reinstate ? Yes I want to, with your guidance.

[vicuta]

Also lot's of brain fog and tiredness. Forgot to mention.

[getofflex]

I'm giving this advice on the understanding that paroxetine is the only psych med you have ever taken.  Let's start with a reinstatement of 2 mg of Paroxetine.  The easiest way to do this would be to buy a commercial liquid paroxetine, if you can get it.  If not, you can make a liquid with your tablets.  If you can get the commercial liquid paroxetine, be sure and ask the pharmacist how many milligrams of paroxetine is in one milliliter of the liquid, so you can dose correctly.  You can also grind the tablets into a powder and weight it with a scale that measures in very small amounts.

 

This link will explain the details.  

 

Tips for Measuring and Tapering paroxetine/Paxil

 

 

[vicuta]

Thank you for the info. So 2 mg of reinstatement would be the best.

 

Unfortunately we don't have liquid form here. Also making a onw liquid seems a bit complicated for me.

Can I just cut the tablet with a sharp razor or so ? As the tablet is scored (middle line) I assume the active ingredient it's evenly spread out.

Or making it powder and put it in a capsule would be the best as you mentioned ?

 

[getofflex]

On 6/27/2022 at 3:20 AM, vicuta said:

Or making it powder and put it in a capsule would be the best as you mentioned ?

If you don't feel comfortable making the liquid, then making it into a powder would be you best bet.  Please read the link above for instructions on how to do this.  You will need a scale, and some other equipment in order to do this.  There will be info in that link on what type of scale, and where to order it.