1961: presentation I have been a user of Paroxetine for 30 years

[1961]

I started taking antidepressants at age 25, now I am 63. With ups and downs, my life has been stable, I have a family and 2 children. After several failed attempts I want to give myself the opportunity to stop taking the medication again. 4 days ago I completely stopped the dose of 12 mg paroxetine per day. I now feel stable and with slight discomfort in the head such as drowsiness, a feeling of not being completely lucid and with a certain sadness. I hope to share experiences in the group and find advice that can help me find a new life without depending on paroxetine

Edited November 26, 2024 by Emonda
Name to title

[Emonda]

Welcome @1961

 

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4 hours ago, 1961 said:

4 days ago I completely stopped the dose of 12 mg paroxetine per day.

 

Cold turkey is not recommended at all.

 

If it's just been 4 days at 0mg and you had previously been taking 12mg for some time, I'd be considering reinstating the 12mg and tapering very slowly from there:

About Reinstating and Stabilizing to Reduce Withdrawal Symptoms

Kindling

Why taper by 10% of my dosage? The reductions should get smaller and smaller each month, for example: 10mg, 9mg, 8.1mg, 7.3mg etc. This process involves a degree of trial and error, as there is no way of predicting how an individual will respond. Importantly, if you develop unpleasant side effects from tapering, halt the taper, give yourself time to settle, and once stable, taper more slowly and by smaller amounts moving forward. The experience of others suggests that the lower you go in dose, the slower you need to go with tapering.

Those that taper too quickly often develop very unpleasant withdrawal symptoms. This Daily Checklist of Antidepressant Withdrawal Symptoms (PDF) is a helpful summary of what many experience.

Some people find tapering by smaller weekly amounts more tolerable. You can read more about this approach here: The Brassmonkey Slide Method of Micro-tapering

Recovery from ADs and tapering is not linear. There are good days and not-so-good days/weeks/months. This is referred to as the Windows and waves pattern of stabilization.

 

Once you add your signature, a Moderator will be back to assist.

 

Warm wishes, Emonda

[LostInCanada]

Welcome to SA. 

14 hours ago, 1961 said:

. 4 days ago I completely stopped the dose of 12 mg paroxetine

From experience this is definitely not recommended. I too stopped paroxetine abruptly (cold turkey) like you. I kept thinking I could handle the withdrawal. I had shaking, tremors , crying, nausea, vomiting, anxiety, balance issues, etc. That I could handle. At about 3 months it got much worse with thoughts of suicide, derealization, depersonalization. I had to reinstate at that point. Thankfully it worked.

I would strongly suggest reinstating immediately at 10.8 mg (12 mg - 10%) and wait a solid month before continuing a nice slow taper.

This is the safest option. 

Do not skip doses. Take them at the same time every day. Avoid caffeine, alcohol, msg, sodium nitrates, lots of refined sugar. Eat a healthy whole food diet. Engage in gentle exercise like a walk in nature daily. 😊

[LostInCanada]

@1961 just reminding you we really need your signature.

The advice I gave was based on partial knowledge. I assumed you have been on 12 mg for some time. How long please? Please provide dates and doses. 

Also are you using liquid or pill? If you are using pill form, do you use a scale to get accurate doses? This is very important. 

Please provide a bit more info. Thanks so much.

[1961]

Good afternoon, I have been taking paroxetine in pill form for approximately 10 years, 25 mg taken once a day, then I reduced it to 12.5 mg for 20 years. I have a pill box that allows me to divide the pill. Today is my fifth day without paroxetine, I feel a certain buzzing in my head, irritability, sadness, nervousness and some insomnia problems, which in my opinion are manageable. I would expect some improvement in the following days. Thank you very much for your attention, comments and advice.

[Cheeky]

7 hours ago, 1961 said:

Good afternoon, I have been taking paroxetine in pill form for approximately 10 years, 25 mg taken once a day, then I reduced it to 12.5 mg for 20 years. I have a pill box that allows me to divide the pill. Today is my fifth day without paroxetine, I feel a certain buzzing in my head, irritability, sadness, nervousness and some insomnia problems, which in my opinion are manageable. I would expect some improvement in the following days. Thank you very much for your attention, comments and advice.

@1961 please don't do that , it's way too quick. The moderators will come and help you do it the right way @LostInCanada

 

[Emonda]

Hi @1961

Three members are all saying the same:

 

On 11/26/2024 at 4:52 PM, Emonda said:

Cold turkey is not recommended at all.

 

On 11/27/2024 at 2:15 AM, LostInCanada said:

From experience this is definitely not recommended. I too stopped paroxetine abruptly (cold turkey) like you. I kept thinking I could handle the withdrawal. I had shaking, tremors , crying, nausea, vomiting, anxiety, balance issues, etc. That I could handle. At about 3 months it got much worse with thoughts of suicide, derealization, depersonalization.

 

32 minutes ago, Cheeky said:

please don't do that , it's way too quick.

 

Please read these links:

 

On 11/26/2024 at 4:52 PM, Emonda said:

About Reinstating and Stabilizing to Reduce Withdrawal Symptoms

Kindling

 

LostinCanada has made a helpful suggestion regarding a potential dose to reinstate.

 

On 11/27/2024 at 2:15 AM, LostInCanada said:

I would strongly suggest reinstating immediately at 10.8 mg (12 mg - 10%) and wait a solid month before continuing a nice slow taper.

This is the safest option. 

 

The further out you are for the CT, the lower the amount reinstated...In other words, if you sit on this suggestion for a few weeks, the the amount to reinstate will be less. You don't want to reinstate too much.

 

Emonda

[LostInCanada]

@1961 you probably have read that the withdrawal symptoms will get less and will only last a couple weeks. This is what the manufacturers of these drugs want us to think so that we go on them. The founder of this site took 11 years from stopping abruptly to heal. That is why they started this site. To help people avoid the mistake they made. 

The choice is always yours. We are trying to prevent you from suffering unnecessarily. 

 

[LostInCanada]

This will help prepare you to cut your drug accurately if you decide to reinstate.

 

 

[LostInCanada]