ashbrown Posted May 24, 2016 Share Posted May 24, 2016 hello everyone, I am a former member of paxilprogress, i went by the username of no_fear if i can remember. I was on paxil for 5 years and 4 months, starting off on 20mg, but for the most part on 10mg, i tapered down to 5mg/day then 5mg/every other day, then stopped, this was back in winter 08/09. to be honest the tapering part for me wasn't too bad, the real problems started after i stopped, probably about 2 months after. i was hit with depression and anxiety, after that came the brain zaps and dizziness (i felt like i was going to fall backwards all the time) that lasted for a good 6 months. i have had bouts of insomnia and moments lying in bed feeling so low and fatigued i would of asked God to end my life right there. it took me a good 4 years after stopping to get to a place and head space to feel what i could consider normal, i have been off paxil for over 7 years now and have never looked back. i currently do have health issues which are possibly related directly or indirectly to coming off paxil, but i feel it is more to do with my clean but not very nutritious diet and not letting myself recover properly. i feel bad typing this because i can see many of you are still in withdrawal and i think this site is more to do with that, but i just wanted to share my story and let people know there is light at the end of the tunnel. aug 2003 20mg paxil for major depressive episode sep 2004 10mg nov 2008 5mg dec 2008 2.5mg jan 2009 0mg all the usual symptoms after 2 months of quitting supplements - omega 3, magnesium oil,vit d, sauerkraut, cutting out processed food, transitioning to vegan diet. Link to comment
dowdaller Posted May 24, 2016 Share Posted May 24, 2016 Great to hear a good news story. I am clean 8 months and have experienced many ups and downs. Well done. I am off all meds 16 months I had been on olanzapine, Effexor zanex and assorted sleeping meds for approx 2 years. Weaned off 375 mg effexor over two years, I had previously come off xanax, rivotrill and olazapine. Reinstated 75mg of effexor on the 22/12/16 Link to comment
LexFree Posted May 25, 2016 Share Posted May 25, 2016 Hello Ashbrown, Thank you very much for coming back and letting us know how are you doing. Please do not feel bad that you are posting of how well you are doing. I look for success stories like yours as it gives me so much hope. We need to see more stories of success. Good to hear you are still off the AD and doing well. I too hope to be there as well. Best to you always...LexFree Link to comment
LexAnger Posted May 25, 2016 Share Posted May 25, 2016 Thank you so much ashbrown! The best thing to all of us still on the road is a successful story which is so rare unfortunately. It can be life saving in a sense as hope is the most important thing to continue this incredible battle, and often times we who are in the water feel very lack of it. Wish you all the best and have a great life! Lex Drug free Sep. 23 2017 2009 Mar.: lexapro 10mg for headache for 2 weeks. 2009-2012: on and off 1/4 to 1/3 of 10mg 2012 June--2013 Jan,: 1/4-1/3 of 10mg generic, bad jaw pain 2013 Jan-Mar: 10 mg generic. severe jaw and head pain; 2013 Mar--Aug. started tapering (liquid ever since) from 10 to 5 (one step) then gradually down to 2.25 mg by July. first ever panic attack, severe head/jaw pain 2013 Aug.: back to 2.75 mg; Nov: back to Brand Lex. 2.75mg -- 3mg, 2014 June: stopped PPI, head pressure/numbness. up-dosed 4.5mg, severe reaction mental symptoms added on 2014 Aug--2015 Aug: Micro taper down to 3.2mg, .025mg (<1%) cut holding 2-3 weeks. 2015 Aug 15th, Accidental one dose of 4.2mg. worsening brain non-functional, swollen head, body, coma like, DR 2016 Feb., started dosing 10am through 11 pm everyday 2/13--3.2mg, 3/15-- 2.9mg, 4/19-- 2.6mg, 6/26--2.2mg, 7/22 --1.9mg, 8/16--1.8mg，8/31--1.7m g, 9/13--1.6mg, 9/27--1.5mg, 10/8--1.4mg, 10/14--1.3mg， 11/1--1.2mg, 11/29--1.1mg, 12/12--1mg, 12/22--0.9mg 2017: 1/7--0.8mg, 1/15--0.7mg, 1/17--0.6mg, 1/20--0.52, 1/21--0.4mg, 1/22--0.26, 1/23--0.2, 2/13--0.13mg, 2/20--0.06mg, 3/18--0.13mg, 6/1--0.12mg, 7/6--0.1mg, 7/14--0.08mg, 8/17--0.04mg, 8/20--0.03mg, 8/28--0.02mg, 9/6--0.0205mg, 9/8--0.02mg, 9/17--0.015mg, 9/20--0.01mg, 9/21--0.0048mg, 9/22--0.0001mg, Link to comment
Moderator Emeritus scallywag Posted May 25, 2016 Moderator Emeritus Share Posted May 25, 2016 It was generous and thoughtful of you to post about your recovery and success. You'll probably never know how many people you've inspired and helped. Thank you and congratulations. This is not medical advice. Discuss any decisions about your medical care with a knowledgeable medical practitioner.1997-1999 Effexor; 2002-2005 Effexor XR 37.5 mg linear taper, dropping same #beads/week with bad results Cymbalta 60 mg 2012 - 2015; 2016: 20 mg to 7 mg exact doses and dates in this post; 2017: 6.3 mg to 0.0 mg Aug. 12; details here scallywag's IntroductionOnline spreadsheet for dose taper calculations and nz11's THE WORKS spreadsheet Link to comment
Moderator brassmonkey Posted May 25, 2016 Moderator Share Posted May 25, 2016 Hi Ash-- welcome to the group. I'm so glad you found us and shared your story. Any success story is very welcome here. Yours is the goal to which we all aspire and to have a ray of light shine into the group is inspiring to everyone. Thank you. 20 years on Paxil starting at 20mg and working up to 40mg. Sept 2011 started 10% every 6 weeks taper (2.5% every week for 4 weeks then hold for 2 additional weeks), currently at 7.9mg. Oct 2011 CTed 15oz vodka a night, to only drinking 2 beers most nights, totally sober Feb 2013. Since I wrote this I have continued to decrease my dose by 10% every 6 weeks (2.5% every week for 4 weeks and then hold for an additional 2 weeks). I added in an extra 6 week hold when I hit 10mg to let things settle out even more. When I hit 3mgpw it became hard to split the drop into 4 parts so I switched to dropping 1mgpw (pill weight) every week for 3 weeks and then holding for another 3 weeks. The 3 + 3 schedule turned out to be too harsh so I cut back to dropping 1mgpw every 4 weeks which is working better. Final Dose 0.016mg. Current dose 0.000mg 04-15-2017 "It's also important not to become angry, no matter how difficult life is, because you can loose all hope if you can't laugh at yourself and at life in general." Stephen Hawking Link to comment
Bruin Posted May 25, 2016 Share Posted May 25, 2016 HI Ashbrown, Thank you for coming back to share your story. It is inspiring and sending you all Best wishes for continued recovery. Bruin Anti Depressants for 25 years. Valium between 2006 to 7 tapered off over a month without too bad withdrawals. For last 15 years 150 mg of Effexor and 30 mg of Mirtazapine. Occasional short term benzo use without habituation. March 2015 stopped Effexor after rapid taper. 6 weeks. One month fluoxetine June 2015...stopped CT July 2015. October 2013 to December 2015 Zopiclone 15 mg at night, Dec 2015 to Early March 2016 Lyrica 75 mg at night. Stopped too quickly as adverse side effects. January to May 2016 tapered Zopiclone to 7.5mg Crossed over to Valium and now ..March 28th 2017 Benzo Free. Also on 30 mg Mirtazapine and holding until have finished Benzo taper. IN protracted WD from Effexor. Link to comment
Mentor ang Posted May 25, 2016 Mentor Share Posted May 25, 2016 Yes, thankyou so much, I am improved, but battle every day. Please keep posting, I want to know there is a light at the end of the tunnel, and one day, perhaps I will even be able to work again! 1992 Dothiepin 375mg 8 weeks, exhaustion/depression. Serotonin syndrome, oh yes! seizures . Fell pregnant, 3rd baby, Nitrous Oxide, 3 weeks mental hospital pp psychosis. zoloft tegretol. Feb 1996 ct tegretol, tapered Zoloft 8 weeks. as (unexpectedly) pregnant. Steven died after 3 days.(Zolft HLHS baby). 98 had run in with Paxil, 2 tablets, 3 weeks taper, survived.2005..menopause? exhausted again. Zyprexa, mad in three days, fallout.... Seroquel, Effexor, tegretol, and 8 years of self destruction. Failed taper.Damn 1/4 valium... nuts again! .fallout, zoloft 100mg seroquol 400mg mirtazapine 45 mg tegretol 400mg. Mid 14 3 month taper. Nov 14 CRASH.Mid 15 .... 75mg seroquel, 3 x 1800mg SJW 2 week window end of December followed by 6 week wave5/2 68mg seroquel, 2.5 x 1800mg SJW::::20/2 61mg seroquel, 2.5 x SJW::: 26/2 54mg seroquel, 2 x SJW::::21/3 43mg seroquel, 1 x 2700SJW :::: 23/4 36mg seroquel 1 x 1800 SJW15/5 33mg seroquel, 1 x SJW:::: 28/5 30mg seroquel, 1 x SJW::::; 18/6 25mg seroquel 1/2 SJW::::, 11/7 21mg seroquel 1/2 SJW::, 26/7 18mg seroquel 1/2 SJW:::, 9/8 12mg seroquel :::, 16/8 6mg seroquel ;;;;, 12/9 0 jump. 23/9 3mg....., 27/9 0mg. Reinstated, 6mg, then 12mg............. LIGHTBULB MOMENT, I have MTHFR 2x mutations. CFS and issues with MOULD in my home. So I left home, and working 150km away during week, loving it. Oh was hard, panic attacks first week, gone now, along with the mould issues. Link to comment
Member cymbaltawithdrawal5600 Posted May 25, 2016 Member Share Posted May 25, 2016 So maybe moving this thread to the 'Success Stories' forum and PM the member where it went might keep this excellent resource from being lost? We need lots more of these and the the pp members always like to keep track of their buds now that their original site is gone. (Maybe adding 'former PP member no_fear' to the title would be a good idea too.) Thanks for checking in Ash, glad you made it! What happened and how I arrived here: http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/4243-cymbaltawithdrawal5600-introduction/#entry50878 July 2016 I have decided to leave my story here at SA unfinished. I have left my contact information in my profile for anyone who wishes to talk to me. I have a posting history spanning nearly 4 years and 3000+ posts all over the site. Thank you to all who participated in my recovery. I'll miss talking to you but know that I'll be cheering you on from the sidelines, suffering and rejoicing with you in spirit, as you go on in your journey. Link to comment
ashbrown Posted May 25, 2016 Author Share Posted May 25, 2016 thank you so much for all the kind replies. I am going to write a new thread in the success stories forum (as suggested by cybaltawithdrawal5600), probably over the weekend, it will be quite long and more in depth. aug 2003 20mg paxil for major depressive episode sep 2004 10mg nov 2008 5mg dec 2008 2.5mg jan 2009 0mg all the usual symptoms after 2 months of quitting supplements - omega 3, magnesium oil,vit d, sauerkraut, cutting out processed food, transitioning to vegan diet. Link to comment
Member cymbaltawithdrawal5600 Posted May 25, 2016 Member Share Posted May 25, 2016 Oh boy I can hardly wait! Make it as long and detailed as you wish. We need that! What happened and how I arrived here: http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/4243-cymbaltawithdrawal5600-introduction/#entry50878 July 2016 I have decided to leave my story here at SA unfinished. I have left my contact information in my profile for anyone who wishes to talk to me. I have a posting history spanning nearly 4 years and 3000+ posts all over the site. Thank you to all who participated in my recovery. I'll miss talking to you but know that I'll be cheering you on from the sidelines, suffering and rejoicing with you in spirit, as you go on in your journey. Link to comment
mzjewels Posted June 30, 2016 Share Posted June 30, 2016 Thank you for posting your update. Please don't fell bad, we that are withdrawing NEED to hear success stories like yours, we need HOPE. There are SEVERAL nightmare stories, stories of success is liking have a breath of fresh air. Thank you Paxil 20 mg -4yrs. Stopped working-called the "Paxil Poop" Went from 20mg to 10 mg X 2 weeks 10mg to 5mg for a short time, then quit...to quick...slow down Omega-3 twice a day, Magnesium three times a day, Vit B complex, Vit D3 7/12/16-My symptoms shaking internally/externally, so afraid especially starting around 400pm, escalating towards evening. This wave hits as soon as I wake up in the am, lasts all day, evening. July 20, started Prozac 20mg, took for 1 week..hugh mistake. Made me so sick, unable to eat or sleep. August 2 reinstated Paxil at 10mg, no improvement yet. Link to comment
Administrator Altostrata Posted August 24, 2020 Administrator Share Posted August 24, 2020 @ashbrown, I added our cheerful "here comes the sun" symbol ☼ to the title of your Intro topic, to show you're recovering. Ashbrown's success story is here. As is our custom, I will close this topic now. This is not medical advice. Discuss any decisions about your medical care with a knowledgeable medical practitioner. "It has become appallingly obvious that our technology has surpassed our humanity." -- Albert Einstein All postings © copyrighted. Link to comment
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