Puja: Am I going to get better?

[Puja]

I am trying to get off of Paxil for the third time in 3 consecutive years. This time a slower taper then before. Although from now researching am realizing not slow enough. As I am a sensitive case.

 

I am on 2.5 mg from 10mg. And have been since first week in July.

 

My bladder inflammation and GI issues have gotten much better finally in the last couple of weeks.

 

My sleep is about 5 hours a night, and nothing works to make me sleep. I switched my 2.5 to mornings, even though I have always taken it at night. It was keeping me up and not allowing me to even get the 5 hours. Any suggestions are welcome??

 

My appetite has been gone for a couple of weeks now. I am losing so much weight. By the evenings I have some sort of appetite, but no where as near as my normal appetite.

 

I have always been really regular with my period, and this time I have been PMS for 9 days (usually 3 days) and there is still no period. I have had cramps for 9 days straight. Up to now  during the withdrawal it has been normal and regular. The last one was a little more intense, but still normal and regular. I am going to my OBGYN tomorrow for my yearly and to see if everything looks good down there too.

 

Also I have extreme worrying the first half of the day where I can't quiet my mind. I am worried about everything.

 

I am trying to get off of this so I can have a baby. But I am losing hope and faith.

 

When will I be normal gain? and do you think I will be normal again???

 

I was fine before I went on the drug, and have some minor anxiety and depression, but this is not anywhere near how I felt before I got on the drug.

 

Most psychiatrists do not help. They just take your money and tell you to go back on the drug. I live in NYC and have seen 4 in the last two years. Not really getting anywhere with them, so not sure what to do?? The health care system in the US for Mental health is horrible, as I am finding out.

 

Any feedback, knowledge, or input is welcome

 

Edited October 26, 2016 by scallywag
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[PatriciaVP]

Hi Puja,

 

You asked if you would ever be normal again. The truth is that you are having a totally normal reaction to an abnormal poison that has been foisted upon you.

 

If your question is "Will I get better?", the answer is a resounding YES. I am far from healed but I am so much better than I was in my darkest days. It takes a lot of time and patience. Sometimes the gets worse before it gets better, but IT DOES GET BETTER. Always remember this.

 

A moderator will be along shortly to give much better counsel hand I ever could, but in the meantime, remeber brighter days are coming. Healing happens. You are not alone.

[scallywag]

Puja -- Welcome to Surviving Antidepressants (SA)
 
I hope you'll find the information in the SA forums helpful for your situation. I'm sorry that you are in the position that you need the information, but am glad that you found us. It's good to read that you've noticed improvements in your health the last few weeks, whatever brought the improvements.

A request: Would you summarize your history in a signature -- drugs, doses, dates, and discontinuations & reinstatements, in the last 12-18 months particularly?

• Any drugs prior to that can just be listed with start and stop years.
• You don't need to include symptoms or diagnoses other than the initial condition that led to prescribing the first drug.
• We ask for this information in your signature so that we can see it at a glance. A list is easier to understand than one or multiple paragraphs.
• You can find instructions in this topic: Please put your withdrawal history in signature

Here are a few topics which you may have already read. If not, please take the time to do so.
What is withdrawal syndrome
Tapering -- what you need to know
 
As you seem to know we suggest that dose be reduced by no more than 10% from the current dose once per month. Details about that are in topic at this link:
Why taper by 10% of my dosage?

 

Information for tapering Paxil is in this topic:
Tips for tapering off Paxil (paroxetine)

 

You mentioned menstrual cycle issues, one symptom that some women experience during withdrawal. You can read others discussing that in this topic:
PMS and menstrual issues during withdrawal
 

This is YOUR introduction topic -- the place for you to ask questions, record symptoms, share your progress, and connect with other members of the SA community.

 

Please feel free to update your intro to let us know how you're doing.

[grandmaD]

I am trying to get off of Paxil for the third time in 3 consecutive years. This time a slower taper then before. Although from now researching am realizing not slow enough. As I am a sensitive case.

Trying for 3 years to get off is not unusal, it took me 10 years before I found out I should taper slowly, so you have found out and on your way already and that is good!

I am on 2.5 mg from 10mg. And have been since first week in July.

How did you go from 10mg to 2.5mg?  How long did it take?

My sleep is about 5 hours a night, and nothing works to make me sleep. I switched my 2.5 to mornings, even though I have always taken it at night. It was keeping me up and not allowing me to even get the 5 hours. Any suggestions are welcome??

I get 5-6 hours a night and sometimes 7.  I switched to mornings also, thinking that taking it at night was causing insomnia, but it didn't make any difference.

My appetite has been gone for a couple of weeks now. I am losing so much weight. By the evenings I have some sort of appetite, but no where as near as my normal appetite.

I had GI issues for several years and lost a lot of weight, but I had put on a lot when on a full dose.

Also I have extreme worrying the first half of the day where I can't quiet my mind. I am worried about everything.

Any worries can be expressed here and I'm sure you will find help and hope and good advice

I am trying to get off of this so I can have a baby. But I am losing hope and faith.

I just posted on my journal how it takes a LONG TIME and requires a lot of patience, endurance and long suffering.  You have to be determined to get it off

When will I be normal gain? and do you think I will be normal again???

I'm sure you will be normal again, but you will have times of despair and want to give up.  Don't quit.  As to when? That is up to you - how you taper and so on.  We often make silly mistakes and wrong choices that cause us set backs along the way.

I was fine before I went on the drug, and have some minor anxiety and depression, but this is not anywhere near how I felt before I got on the drug.

That is because withdrawal is so debilitating

Most psychiatrists do not help. They just take your money and tell you to go back on the drug. I live in NYC and have seen 4 in the last two years. Not really getting anywhere with them, so not sure what to do?? The health care system in the US for Mental health is horrible, as I am finding out.

I just dealt with this issue myself and finally come to terms with it!  Selling drugs is their way of making money, it is their job and that's what they will do.

Any feedback, knowledge, or input is welcome

I wish you all the very best in your recovery!  How are you now?