☼ pinkfairy: rapid taper of Paxil

[pinkfairy]

Am in hell.AD with drawal an benzo with DRAWl don't think my head can take it any more feel like am going out of my mind

[AliG]

Pinkfairy . You will only end up in hospital if you want to do that. You always have a choice. Lack of sleep is distressing but it can be done.  I went through it. You won't become psychotic. You just become extremely tired and eventually sleep after a period of time.

 

Have you tried sleep meditations ?

[pinkfairy]

Am not eating either....I just can't switch off!!am desperate.yea nothing is working have got my self in such a state!am really struggling....ano olazpine is another drug but I don't think I can another day....am desperate to switch off ????!!am truly in hell

[pinkfairy]

I don't even get a few hours any more!!

[pinkfairy]

I have no support or family to help either!!i can't stop freaking out so sorry for all the posts!ps had rather you be honest....am getting desperate to the point I want to pull my hair out xx

[pinkfairy]

Any body any suggestions where an what I next because I feel like all my symtoms are out of control here?xxx

[AliG]

Pink . Like you I had little support. There were days and weeks that seemed never ending. I  found that during the day symptoms can escalate and at night it can be intense particularly when you are not sleeping.

 

I also had the restless legs and the burning and sometimes reactions from supplements .

 

I have found the best antidote to symptoms is to just " go through it " .

To add drugs is to prolong the pain.

 

When it becomes too much  - just walk .  Keep walking. It helps a lot.

Ali 

[pinkfairy]

I need to reinstate ASAP or I ain't going to make this!!shall I start off at 5mg??am desperate now xx

[scallywag]

No. Please do not reinstate 5 mg.  Your CNS (central nervous system) has been making changes since you stopped taking Paxil. Re-introduction at 5 mg may cause further destabilization.
 
Because your last dose was in June, it's safer to test a much lower dose, 0.5 mg or 1 mg.  Please read this topic to learn different ways of achieving these non-standard doses:
Tips for tapering off Paxil (paroxetine)  
Using a digital scale to measure doses
Making a liquid from a tablet or capsules and Using an oral syringe and other tapering techniques]  
 
Symptoms will likely not improve right away, though some people do notice improvements within days. It takes about 4 days for paxil to reach a steady state in your body and then another 7-10 days for your CNS to "get the message."
How long to stabilize after reinstating or updosing
 
It may, in fact, be better to try a low dose of another SSRI because Paxil is so nasty to taper.
 
Questions for you:

• Do you have access to a doctor who will listen to your situation and prescribe an antidepressant?
• Have you taken Prozac previously?

[pinkfairy]

My doctor as only given me 10mg tablets?

no never tried Prozac?

 

have no scales to weigh it.my last dose was feb...

 

if I start at 1mg how long do I keep this going for?

 

i will see if my doctor will do a liquid or something!!

 

because am also in the middle of a benzo taper which am holding now until after Xmas am getting slammed with every symptom going!!i just keep thinking am not going to make this!!am not getting no hours sleep.

 

smoking so much because am frightened an can barley eat!!am like a train wreak going full throttle an don't know how to stop xx

Edited November 19, 2016 by scallywag
added line breaks for readability

[scallywag]

You may wish to hold at your current dose in your benzo taper.  Your symptoms could be the resulting from some aspect of that.

 

Please read the Paxil tapering thread for tips on creating a small dose.

[pinkfairy]

Thank you am def holding at this dose!!will have a look around see if I can find it!!thank x

[scallywag]

Link to Tips for tapering off Paxil (paroxetine)

[pinkfairy]

Is it the same as getting back on it scaly wag?x

[scallywag]

I'm not sure to what you're referring when you ask, "Is it the same as getting back on it ...?" Please elaborate.

[pinkfairy]

Sorry....it says tips for getting off Paxil...am after getting back on it!been off for 9 month now,but am wanting to go back on because am a train wreak!thank you

[scallywag]

pinkfairy -- it would be best if you posted a few days of your symptoms and dosing just so we can see the daily pattern, if any. Hold off reinstating until we get a better a better sense of what is going on for you.

Please keep notes on paper of your symptoms and the times of your dose(s). This post has a useful format for a daily log:
Take notes of doses and symptoms

[pinkfairy]

I don't get this?do I need to write my symtoms here for you all to see daily??sorry but am so vunerable now I don't know what am doing I feel like a small child!!xx

[pinkfairy]

Any body it feels like am in free fall I can't take any more am this is affecting my son ( what can I do?

[scallywag]

It is difficult, perhaps impossible, for us to help you troubleshoot without symptom information, however you don't need to write your symptoms here. Your symptoms are, however, the best clues to figure out what is going on with you -- diazepam interdose withdrawal, symptoms from your Paxil and zopiclone discontinuations -- and what next step to might help you.

 

Keeping track of your symptoms on paper allows you to see patterns and also to see how your symptoms change over time. That information about your CNS (central nervous system) response to dose reductions is useful as you progress in your taper.

[pinkfairy]

Just PM you....thank you for your reply

[grandmaD]

I am so sorry you are still struggling and hope you can re-instate very soon.  Did the doctors give you some liquid or able to switch you to Prozac?

 

At this point, I think if it was me I would try the Prozac because then when you want to taper and get off it, you can achieve it much easier than a Paxil taper.

 

I am sorry about the sleep, I know what  a pain that is too.  I probably only get an average of 6 hours, sometimes much less and sometimes maybe 7. Last night it was only 3, but I have a suicidal (grown up) son i am trying to deal with so that is making all my symptoms worse, so i won't be much help for you at the present.  There is a good link on this site about insomnia. 

 

I think it is a process we have to go through with insomnia.  At first I used to get very angry, very annoyed and upset about the loss of sleep.  At the time I couldn't eat or even get up and enjoy a cup of tea.  Eventually, when I could do both, I told myself how nice it might be if I can't sleep to be able at last to get up by myself in the middle of the night and enjoy a cuppa and piece of toast!  Another thing I did eventually, when my brain improved was to do a jig-saw puzzle and leave it there to do in the middle of the night - along with my cuppa and toast, of course!  it is all a matter of attitude and getting rid of 'stinkin' thinkin"!!!

 

I found doing relaxation exercises regularly twice a day along with breathing exercises twice a day helps and when I am worse, I have to do them 3 times a day.  Walking also helps if you can for as long as and as fast as you can to get rid of excess emotion/anxiety and stress, etc.

 

I didn't see the advice about valium and what to do about that for you?  I can't see my previous post, so forgive me if I forgot to ask about it!  Sometimes I think about things and cannot remember if I have just thought it or have done it!  I think the suggestion was to stop tapering the valium but it would appear that you are still doing that?  Please clarify that.

 

Also, are you on another benzo plus another sleeping pill?   Sorry if I am not understanding things.  My strong recommendation would be to not to take any other benzos or sleeping pills on top of the valium, this is looking for trouble I believe.  Loss of sleep will not kill you and if you can, take a small nap during the day to catch up.

 

I certainly hope you get it all sorted out soon and wish you continued success and will catch up with you down the track as I am packing to leave and hope to visit my son.

[pinkfairy]

Hi every body is the place where I put my daily symptoms an what time I take medications?am new an have cog fog so please bear with me...thank you Xx

[scallywag]

If you would like to share your daily doses and symptoms so that we can help you troubleshoot, this is the right spot for you to post them.

 

If your doctor won't prescribe paroxetine liquid, you can make your own liquid from the tablets.

Making a liquid from a tablet or capsules

Using an oral syringe and other tapering techniques]

[pinkfairy]

Hi,my symtoms are consistent on a daily basis!insommina panic attacks,DP DR,anxiety deep deporession,ringing in my ears sheer terror. feeling hopeless....these all started in May,I quit Paxil feb could it be rebound after 3 month!!boy am struggling!my doctor is going to do liquid Paxil for me.should I start at 1mg?this is my only hope...either that or an anti phycotic as am boarding on going to hospital I can't let that happen my son as just me!thank you for all your help xx

[scallywag]

Please hold off on filling the prescription for a few days. It would be good to see what your symptom pattern is before adding Paxil back into the mix. Here's the post that details the most helpful way for you to track and post your symptoms:

 

 

Keep notes on paper about your drug dosages and daily symptom pattern

 

A symptom pattern that occurs regularly over several days could mean the symptoms are from withdrawal, other adverse effects of drugs, or something else you do on a daily schedule.

 

In the course of discussion in your Introductions forum topic, you may be asked to keep notes on paper of your daily symptom pattern, including when you take your drugs, their dosages, and any symptoms.

 

What we need to see for every individual day over several days is:

- Time and dosage for drugs taken in morning
- Time and description of any symptoms in the morning
 
- Time and dosage for drugs taken in afternoon
- Time and description of any symptoms in the afternoon
 
- Time and dosage for drugs taken in evening
- Time and description of any symptoms in the evening
 
- Time and dosage for drugs taken in middle of the night
- Time and description of any symptoms in the middle of the night (such as waking)
 
And so forth. A diary, in chronological order, such as:
 
6 a.m. Woke and vomited
8 a.m. Took 2.5mg Lexapro
10 a.m. Had diarrhea
10:30 a.m. Ate breakfast
11:35 a.m. Got a headache, lasted one hour
12:35 p.m. Ate lunch
4 p.m. Stomachache
5 p.m. Took 2.5mg Lexapro
6 p.m. Ate dinner
9:20 p.m. Headache
10:00 p.m. Took 50mg Seroquel
10:20 p.m. Headache got worse
10:30 p.m. Fell asleep
2:30 a.m. Woke, took 3mg Ambien (NOT "took 1/2 tablet Ambien")
2:45 a.m. Fell asleep
4:30 a.m. Woke with headache

[pinkfairy]

Still don't know how to do this??do I put my symtoms where my medication list is??thank you am getting desperate of going on like this ????

[ChessieCat]

Daily Doses & Symptoms:  You post them in your Intro/Update topic, the same way you post a question or reply.

 

Your drug signature is an overview of your drug/s and doses.  When you change your dose you update your signature so that the information can be seen at a glance without having to read through the posts in your topic.

[scallywag]

If you are asking about the actual hand-written notes, it's hard to suggest what will work best for you because you know the routines and challenges of your daily life.  Ideas to consider:

• It may be better to keep a notepad with you to jot down symptoms as they arise than to keep it with your medications. 
• Set up times to review the last few hours and make notes. At or after meals and before bed, maybe?

[pinkfairy]

Thank you so much for your replies....am slipping further into a deep dark depression!!my support worker was on about going into hospital but where is that going to leave me son...I was very vunerable before all this happened!even more so now.i don't know what's WD an what's me?i don't know if this is the real me anymore an in constant terror that's got me in a corner I can't believe this is happening it's like ptsd

[scallywag]

pinkfairy, going to the hospital will almost certainly result in getting additional medications.

 

Please share your symptoms. Just enter them where you post other messages.

[grandmaD]

Did you discuss with Dr. about switching to prozac liquid? 

 

I most certainly would not go to hospital no matter how bad I was as they will definitely put you back on Aropax and probably a full dose or switch you to a full dose of something else.

 

Try and stay calm, do breathing and relaxation exercises and sit in the sun and relax and walk I find all these very helpful.  I also do jig saw puzzles to take my mind of it all.

[pinkfairy]

I was CT off Paxil in Jan,given diazepam 2-4 mg CT June was also taking zopiclone for 3 an half years....straight CO to diazepam July.started taper August at 8 mg am now down to 5 mg but haven't stabalized at all this year....am getting worse.so my doctor said there's no cure for emotional instability.....feeling broken is this my life???could it not be all the with drawals causing me to be unstable?am at loss,am I ill or just coming down off medication?he as made me feel like there's no end to this?an I have to stop talking about medication as it's not the problem it's ME

[scallywag]

Your emotional volatility is the result of changes and fast tapers of prescription psychiatric medications. In the calendar year 2016, you

- fast tapered Paxil over 4 weeks in January 2016

- started diazepam 2-4 mg in February

- tapered diazepam while you were still unstable from the Paxil taper

- stopped diazepam cold-turkey in June

- stopped zopiclone cold-turkey in July after having taken it for 4 years

- reinstated 8 mg diazepam in July

- started tapering diazepam in August.

 

You didn't know what you didn't know, that this could be harmful. That is a lot of change for your CNS (central nervous system) to deal with. 

 

Question: What is the longest period that you have continued at the same dose of diazepam since July's reinstatement?

[Daisy]

Pinkfairy

 

I have not read all of your posts so I may be off the mark with my reply. But I felt I had to share my experience with a rapid taper off of Effexor XL. When I first came to this sight, I was looking for help with the symptoms of brain fog, lack of ability to focus, feeling like I could get lost in my own backyard, emotional sensitivity and instability, ringing in my ears and noise sensitivity. It was suggested I reinstated a very small amount of the Effexor. I think I took 12 beads. After a matter of hours, I was feeling much better! That told me that what I was experiencing was withdrawal. 

 

I pray that this post helps you. Please know you are not alone during your time of struggle and weariness.

 

Daisy

[grandmaD]

I think they want you to post your daily symptoms here in your journal and I think they mean every day so they can get a good idea of your patterns.  You might want to put if the symptom is mild, moderate or severe.