Cheeky: on Paxil for 23 years needing advice

[Shep]

7 minutes ago, Cheeky said:

What would be your thoughts on my next taper ?

 

I really don't know based on what you've posted recently. It depends on how your symptoms are happening within the context of when you take each of your drugs and supplements. 

 

Please start a drug and symptoms journal. We can go through it together to see what the next step should be. Here are the instructions:

 

How to do a drug and symptoms journal

 

Please include your drugs (and dose amounts), any supplements (and dose amounts), and how many hours you sleep each night. 

 

After a few days, we can come up with a game plan. 

 

[Cheeky]

1 minute ago, Shep said:

 

I really don't know based on what you've posted recently. It depends on how your symptoms are happening within the context of when you take each of your drugs and supplements. 

 

Please start a drug and symptoms journal. We can go through it together to see what the next step should be. Here are the instructions:

 

How to do a drug a nd symptoms journal

 

Please include your drugs (and dose amounts), any supplements (and dose amounts), and how many hours you sleep each night. 

 

After a few days, we can come up with a game plan. 

 

thank you so much I will ,

[Carmie]

Hey there @Cheeky, how have you been doing? I’m sorry you’ve been getting bad waves. How are you coping? 
 

Did you end up writing up a drug and symptoms journal for Shep? 
 

It’s a little nippy up here in Queensland in the morning now. I put on the heater and my cat jumps right in front of it straight away. Being Queensland though, we still get some warm days. I never know what to wear when I go out as I don’t know if it will be warm or cold during the day. I layer😁

 

Sending hugs🤗

[Cheeky]

On 5/17/2023 at 9:36 PM, Cheeky said:

thank you so much I will ,

Hi @Shep

The following is what happened three days after I've spoken to you.

18/5/23

1.30am woke 

3.40am  woke

6am woke again

7am got out of bed 

7.15 toke tablets 19.70 mg Paxil

7.30 am coffee

8am starting to feel anxious after reading a bad withdrawal story 

8.30 bought coffee

9am got to work 

9.45 feeling tingling on my arms and legs . Ears just popped 

2.31pm slight pains in head and feet feel tingling 

5pm dinner 

Feeling better at night 

7.30pm feeling “NORMAL “

8pm finish work

9.30pm 15.5mg Seraqul 

10pm feeling buzzing in legs

10.30 sleep

 

19/5/23

6.45am  wake , lied  in bed and relaxed 

7am toke my Paxil 19.70mg

7.30am coffee

Having a good morning 

8.30am work 

No major problems except my feet still feel slight buzzing 

12.30 coffee with lunch

7pm left work

8pm dinner 

9.30 pm Seroquel 15.5mg 

10.30slept

 

20/5/23

7.20am woke 

7.30am toke tablets 19.70mg of  Paxil

8am coffee 

8.30am work

9.30 coffee 

10am feeling good 

1pm lunch

7pm finish work 

8.30pm dinner

9.30pm toke 15.5mg of Seroquel 

10.30 slept 

 

After those days I've been feeling normal again and have come out of the wave.

My question is do you think I should continue to start my Paxil taper again and take a break from the Seroquel taper? The reason I have been doing the Seroquel taper is  because I've been on it less year's then the Paxil and I'm very scared of long term use of them. 

I started my paxil taper a month ago doing 5% using the brass monkey slide. I generally never feel the effects straight away,  I always get delayed withdrawal symptoms around 4 to 6 weeks after. It's just now the last couple of days I've felt I couldn't sleep and slightly anxious.  I will hold for the next couple of weeks and see how I go. 

Any input is much appreciated 

Cheeky
 

[Cheeky]

7 hours ago, Carmie said:

Hey there @Cheeky, how have you been doing? I’m sorry you’ve been getting bad waves. How are you coping? 

Hey Carmie, 

It's class azy every time I panic and write in I feel better again. I'm doing okay. Thanks for checking in on me .

[Cheeky]

7 hours ago, Carmie said:

It’s a little nippy up here in Queensland

Try living in Sydney 🥶 it's freezing. I'm going to cairns for a week on holiday for done warm weather. 

[Cheeky]

7 hours ago, Carmie said:

Sending hugs🤗

😍

[Thorin]

3 minutes ago, Cheeky said:

Hi @Shep

The following is what happened three days after I've spoken to you.

18/5/23

1.30am woke 

3.40am  woke

6am woke again

7am got out of bed 

7.15 toke tablets 19.70 mg Paxil

7.30 am coffee

8am starting to feel anxious after reading a bad withdrawal story 

8.30 bought coffee

9am got to work 

9.45 feeling tingling on my arms and legs . Ears just popped 

2.31pm slight pains in head and feet feel tingling 

5pm dinner 

Feeling better at night 

7.30pm feeling “NORMAL “

8pm finish work

9.30pm 15.5mg Seraqul 

10pm feeling buzzing in legs

10.30 sleep

 

19/5/23

6.45am  wake , lied  in bed and relaxed 

7am toke my Paxil 19.70mg

7.30am coffee

Having a good morning 

8.30am work 

No major problems except my feet still feel slight buzzing 

12.30 coffee with lunch

7pm left work

8pm dinner 

9.30 pm Seroquel 15.5mg 

10.30slept

 

20/5/23

7.20am woke 

7.30am toke tablets 19.70mg of  Paxil

8am coffee 

8.30am work

9.30 coffee 

10am feeling good 

1pm lunch

7pm finish work 

8.30pm dinner

9.30pm toke 15.5mg of Seroquel 

10.30 slept 

 

After those days I've been feeling normal again and have come out of the wave.

My question is do you think I should continue to start my Paxil taper again and take a break from the Seroquel taper? The reason I have been doing the Seroquel taper is  because I've been on it less year's then the Paxil and I'm very scared of long term use of them. 

I started my paxil taper a month ago doing 5% using the brass monkey slide. I generally never feel the effects straight away,  I always get delayed withdrawal symptoms around 4 to 6 weeks after. It's just now the last couple of days I've felt I couldn't sleep and slightly anxious.  I will hold for the next couple of weeks and see how I go. 

Any input is much appreciated 

Cheeky
 

Hey Cheeky,

 

looks like you’re doing much better after your horrible wave. So glad to see that. And you’re tapering! Successfully! You’ve got this 👍🏻

[Thorin]

1 minute ago, Cheeky said:

Try living in Sydney 🥶 it's freezing. I'm going to cairns for a week on holiday for done warm weather. 

Try living near Geelong 😂

[Shep]

5 hours ago, Cheeky said:

After those days I've been feeling normal again and have come out of the wave.

My question is do you think I should continue to start my Paxil taper again and take a break from the Seroquel taper? The reason I have been doing the Seroquel taper is  because I've been on it less year's then the Paxil and I'm very scared of long term use of them. 

 

I wouldn't be too scared of long term use of Seroquel at the dose you're taking. At 15.5 mg, Seroquel is affecting histamine more than dopamine. At that dose, it's like taking Benadryl. It's the doses above 150 mg that cause the long-term damage problems associated with antipsychotics. 

 

If the Seroquel is helping with sleep, I would taper it last. 

 

You mentioned having coffee a couple of times a day. Please be mindful of caffeine use, as it also causes dependency and increasing your "dose" of daily caffeine may cause problems in the long run. 

 

 

[Cheeky]

6 hours ago, Thorin said:

Hey Cheeky,

 

looks like you’re doing much better after your horrible wave. So glad to see that. And you’re tapering! Successfully! You’ve got this 👍🏻

Thanks, until the next one 😉

[Cheeky]

6 hours ago, Thorin said:

Try living near Geelong 😂

No way, I hate the cold, bring on the sun ☀️ 

[Carmie]

On 5/30/2023 at 2:49 PM, Cheeky said:

Try living in Sydney 🥶 it's freezing. I'm going to cairns for a week on holiday for done warm weather. 

I hope you enjoy your holiday in Cairns. I’m sure you’ll be glad to be in warmer weather☀️☀️☀️

[Cheeky]

I’ve been on these drugs for 30 years and I’m 45 years old . Am I kidding myself into thinking I can come off them . I know in my heart I never needed them. I’m just feeling stuck. I don’t know what to do 😌 It’s going to take me 10 years trying to come off and that 10 more years of exposure. I would be happy to get down to 10mg of Paxil and just stay there as I’ve been on that for 30 years but the Seroquel they added 8 years ago when I tried to get off Paxil too quickly I want off . I’m taking 15mg Seroquel. 
What would you lovely people do ?

[LostInCanada]

@Cheekythanks for stopping by on my thread. I really appreciate it. We definitely need to stick together and help each other out. I think I would take Shep’s advice and keep tapering the Paxil since the seroquel is so low and helps with sleep. And yes you will get off these drugs and so will I. Just one day at a time.❤️

[Cheeky]

4 minutes ago, LostInCanada said:

@Cheekythanks for stopping by on my thread. I really appreciate it. We definitely need to stick together and help each other out. I think I would take Shep’s advice and keep tapering the Paxil since the seroquel is so low and helps with sleep. And yes you will get off these drugs and so will I. Just one day at a time.❤️

What an awful position we’ve got ourselves into, not knowing that this could happen . I’ve been angry at the system for too long but it’s got me know where. We are just lucky we know what it is and have educated ourselves . Seems like your husband is great , so is mine but unfortunately he get this rage part of me that was never there before these drugs . 
let’s keep in touch and we will ground each other when times are tough . 
Healing to you 

[Cheeky]

Okay update ……..

Ive started the brassmonkey slide and have dropped from 20mg to 17.72 mg . It’s been a rocky road , windows of stability then waves were fear kicks in with looping thoughts and today I’ve been fighting back tears . 
I really need to be off these drugs and I know there is no easy way out but taper . 
Im just feeling sorry for myself this morning 😌

[Thorin]

27 minutes ago, Cheeky said:

Okay update ……..

Ive started the brassmonkey slide and have dropped from 20mg to 17.72 mg . It’s been a rocky road , windows of stability then waves were fear kicks in with looping thoughts and today I’ve been fighting back tears . 
I really need to be off these drugs and I know there is no easy way out but taper . 
Im just feeling sorry for myself this morning 😌

That’s really good progress. After not being able to taper you’ve been able to taper nearly 3 milligrams. I wonder whether it’s worth going even slower if the withdrawals are hard to tolerate 🤷‍♂️

[Cheeky]

15 minutes ago, Thorin said:

That’s really good progress. After not being able to taper you’ve been able to taper nearly 3 milligrams. I wonder whether it’s worth going even slower if the withdrawals are hard to tolerate 🤷‍♂️

This is just a sh*tty feeling . I’m going to hold for a few weeks and see how I go . 
Thamks got the reply x

[Thorin]

The feelings are horrible. But they are temporary as well. Hard to remember on the moment. I guess the goal is to be functional though so if that means going slower or holding longer I say go for it!

[Cheeky]

46 minutes ago, Thorin said:

Hard to remember on the moment. I

Doesn’t matter how many times I go through this , I think the same stuff

[Cheeky]

46 minutes ago, Thorin said:

The feelings are horrible. But they are temporary as well. Hard to remember on the moment. I guess the goal is to be functional though so if that means going slower or holding longer I say go for it!

Yeah, I’m going to just have to get use to it . Thanks 

[Cheeky]

OK update.

 

So I've just realized I haven't been going down 5% with the Brass Monkey slide. It's been 6%, so it's a little more than I thought I was doing.

 

I want to ask a question, and that is at the moment. I've been feeling pretty bad anxiety during the morning, but it's been better in the afternoon. I'm supposed to drop next week, and I'm not sure if I should do that or not. Do people drop when they're not feeling 100%?

 

@brassmonkey 

[brassmonkey]

When you are doing a Brassmonkey Slide there will be some carryover between reductions. This is quite normal and is why there is the two-week hold added after the four reductions. If you are in the middle of week six and feel like the symptoms are too strong it is always okay to add an extra week hold.

[Cheeky]

On 7/31/2023 at 10:55 AM, Cheeky said:

OK update.

 

So I've just realized I haven't been going down 5% with the Brass Monkey slide. It's been 6%, so it's a little more than I thought I was doing.

 

I want to ask a question, and that is at the moment. I've been feeling pretty bad anxiety during the morning, but it's been better in the afternoon. I'm supposed to drop next week, and I'm not sure if I should do that or not. Do people drop when they're not feeling 100%?

 

@brassmonkey 

@brassmonkey

when you change to making a liquid solution with your tablet , can you get withdrawal symptoms from that . I use to take o whole 20mg tablet now I put it in 20ml  water , put it in the fridge and have it the next morning . 

[LostInCanada]

@Cheeky did you slowly transition? 3/4 pill with 1/4 liquid for a few days, then 1/2 and 1/2 for a few days, then 3/4 and 1/4 etc? How long have you used liquid?

[Cheeky]

48 minutes ago, LostInCanada said:

@Cheeky did you slowly transition? 3/4 pill with 1/4 liquid for a few days, then 1/2 and 1/2 for a few days, then 3/4 and 1/4 etc? How long have you used liquid?

Hi @LostInCanada

I didn’t do that , I just added the pill to water and let it dissolve overnight in the fridge . I’ve been doing that for  8 weeks now .

[LostInCanada]

I don't know if I was clear...3/4 dry dose of pill on its own and 1/4 of dose in liquid etc. Your system should be used to the liquid transition by now but some transitioning between the pill and liquid find it bumpy 

[Cheeky]

51 minutes ago, LostInCanada said:

I don't know if I was clear...3/4 dry dose of pill on its own and 1/4 of dose in liquid etc. Your system should be used to the liquid transition by now but some transitioning between the pill and liquid find it bumpy 

Okay so I really should’ve done it the other way 😞 I thought you only do that if you’re using a compounded liquid. 

[LostInCanada]

I would just wait till your symptoms settle a bit before reducing again. Are you in your 2 week hold now? It's a learning curve. Give yourself credit for making the liquid and tapering. Every step takes courage. 👍♥️

[Cheeky]

1 hour ago, LostInCanada said:

I would just wait till your symptoms settle a bit before reducing again. Are you in your 2 week hold now? It's a learning curve. Give yourself credit for making the liquid and tapering. Every step takes courage. 👍♥️

Yeah I’m in my second week

hold . Thank you for replying to me , I really appreciate all the help from you lovely people . 
This is all about trial

and error  and I’ve made sooooo many mistakes . 

[pinkfairy]

Hi cheeky, just stopping by to say thank you for commenting on my thread and i hope you are doing well. xx

[Cheeky]

okay so I thought i would put my big signature here as I tried to do it the other way but there was too many lines .

1995 started Paxil 20mg slowly increasing to 50mg until 2014

-2014 I decided to tapper myself not knowing how too and crashed , DR added 50mg Seraquel

-2015 tried tapering again and crashed

Seroquel Taper

2/11/16 43mg  1/09/17  37.5mg  10/03/10 36.25mg. 17/3/19 35mg 26/3/19 33.75mg  4/4/19 32.5mg  21/4/19 30mg

16/7/19 28.75mg  5/8/19 27.5mg. 19/8/19 25mg   4/8/20 23mg 18/8/20 22.5mg  12/10/20 18.25mg  10/1/21 15mg  3/8/21 UPDOSE 16mg 2/2/23 15.5mg Brassmonkey Slide Methode 21/08/23 15.24mg  18/08/23 14.98mg

Paxil Taper

2/11/16 40mg 12/10/17 37mg  28/10/17 36mg  10/1/18. 35mg  24/05/18 33mg  28/8/18 31mg 16/12/18 30mg 20/10/19 29mg  17/11/19 28mg 7/1/20  27mg 12/2/20  26mg 7/3 /20 25mg  11/4/20 24mg 4/5/20 23mg  5/6/20 22mg 23/6/20 21mg 15/7/20 20mg  Started Brassmonkey  Slide Method 14/5/23 19.70mg  21/05/23  19.40mg 28/05/23 19.11mg 4/06/23 18.83mg 25/06/23 18.54mg  16/07:23 17.72mg 6/8/2317,46mg 13/8/23 17.19mg 20\8\23 16.94mg 27/08/23 16.68mg

Started Tapering Both drugs at the same time 6% per month doing daily micro-taper 

Guided by Mark Horowitz

24/09/23  14.47mg Seroquel.  16.19mg Paxil 

27/11/23.  12.13mg. Seroquel.   13.85mg Paxil

[Thorin]

6 minutes ago, Cheeky said:

okay so I thought i would put my big signature here as I tried to do it the other way but there was too many lines .

1995 started Paxil 20mg slowly increasing to 50mg until 2014

-2014 I decided to tapper myself not knowing how too and crashed , DR added 50mg Seraquel

-2015 tried tapering again and crashed

Seroquel Taper

2/11/16 43mg  1/09/17  37.5mg  10/03/10 36.25mg. 17/3/19 35mg 26/3/19 33.75mg  4/4/19 32.5mg  21/4/19 30mg

16/7/19 28.75mg  5/8/19 27.5mg. 19/8/19 25mg   4/8/20 23mg 18/8/20 22.5mg  12/10/20 18.25mg  10/1/21 15mg  3/8/21 UPDOSE 16mg 2/2/23 15.5mg Brassmonkey Slide Methode 21/08/23 15.24mg  18/08/23 14.98mg

Paxil Taper

2/11/16 40mg 12/10/17 37mg  28/10/17 36mg  10/1/18. 35mg  24/05/18 33mg  28/8/18 31mg 16/12/18 30mg 20/10/19 29mg  17/11/19 28mg 7/1/20  27mg 12/2/20  26mg 7/3 /20 25mg  11/4/20 24mg 4/5/20 23mg  5/6/20 22mg 23/6/20 21mg 15/7/20 20mg  Started Brassmonkey  Slide Method 14/5/23 19.70mg  21/05/23  19.40mg 28/05/23 19.11mg 4/06/23 18.83mg 25/06/23 18.54mg  16/07:23 17.72mg 6/8/2317,46mg 13/8/23 17.19mg 20\8\23 16.94mg 27/08/23 16.68mg

Started Tapering Both drugs at the same time 6% per month doing daily micro-taper 

Guided by Mark Horowitz

24/09/23  14.47mg Seroquel.  16.19mg Paxil 

27/11/23.  12.13mg. Seroquel.   13.85mg Paxil

That’s amazing. It wasn’t long ago you were saying you were stuck and couldn’t taper and now you’re doing it! Well done!

[LostInCanada]

@Cheeky please tell me more about the daily microtaper. I am so sensitive to drops more than 1%.

[Cheeky]

6 hours ago, Thorin said:

That’s amazing. It wasn’t long ago you were saying you were stuck and couldn’t taper and now you’re doing it! Well done!

Thanks , slow and steady