Hazel: struggling with Paxil to Prozac bridge

[Hazel]

On 9/14/2018 at 8:39 PM, Rosetta said:

I'm really glad you are feeling better!

Thanks Rosetta.

 I’ve actually been having more anxiety over the past week or so.  Don’t know why?  Could be Paxil withdrawal kicking in-who knows?  

It just sucks.

[Carmie]

Hi Hazel, 

 

Just checking in to see how you’re doing with the anxiety. 

 

Sending hugs🤗

[Hazel]

22 minutes ago, Carmie said:

Hi Hazel, 

 

Just checking in to see how you’re doing with the anxiety. 

 

Sending hugs🤗

Thanks Carmie.

I’m doing a little better.  Still not where I’d like to be, but hanging in there and seeing some improvement with the anxiety.  Yesterday was a prett Good day, but today the anxiety has been up and down.  It sure is a tiring and frustrating process to go through!

[Carmie]

16 minutes ago, Hazel said:

Thanks Carmie.

I’m doing a little better.  Still not where I’d like to be, but hanging in there and seeing some improvement with the anxiety.  Yesterday was a prett Good day, but today the anxiety has been up and down.  It sure is a tiring and frustrating process to go through!

 

Hi again Hazel, 

 

Glad to hear you’re a little better. Yes, this journey is up, down, up, down! It’s good to hear though that you’re having some breaks inbetween now. It shows that your brain is trying very hard to heal. It is healing, it’s just a slow process. We will all get there in the end. 

 

Sending sunshine your way☀️☀️☀️

[Carmie]

Hi Hazel, 

 

How have you been doing? Are you still a little better? How is your anxiety going?

 

Sending hugs🤗

[Hazel]

2 hours ago, Carmie said:

Hi Hazel, 

 

How have you been doing? Are you still a little better? How is your anxiety going?

 

Sending hugs🤗

Hi Carmie,

I am still feeling better overall.  I get up and down days where the anxiety hits, but I do feel I am making some steps in the right direction.

Thanks for checking in with me.  I hope you are doing well🤗

[Carmie]

19 hours ago, Hazel said:

Hi Carmie,

I am still feeling better overall.  I get up and down days where the anxiety hits, but I do feel I am making some steps in the right direction.

Thanks for checking in with me.  I hope you are doing well🤗

 

Hi Hazel, 

 

So glad to hear you’re still feeling better overall. Here’s to more moving in the right direction.

 

Sending hugs🤗

[Carmie]

Hi Hazel, Just wanted to say I hope you’re continuing to do well.

 

Sending hugs🤗

[DaveB]

Any update? How are you Hazel?

[Hazel]

15 hours ago, DaveB said:

Any update? How are you Hazel?

Hi Dave,

I am happy to report that I have been doing much better the past few days.  I am hoping this means I am finally stabilizing on the citalopram.

How have you been!

[DaveB]

2 hours ago, Hazel said:

Hi Dave,

I am happy to report that I have been doing much better the past few days.  I am hoping this means I am finally stabilizing on the citalopram.

How have you been!

 

That is so great, what dose are you on? I am still doing about the same unfortunately, not sure what stability would even feel like at this point.

[Hazel]

9 hours ago, DaveB said:

 

That is so great, what dose are you on? I am still doing about the same unfortunately, not sure what stability would even feel like at this point.

I am working on getting to 15mg. right now I am at 14.  I plan to hold and stay at 15 for a good long while.  

I would love to be stable and stay like that for at least a year before attempting to taper agin.  I am in need of a long break from anxiety after the hell I went through over the summer.  

I get how it feels like there is no relief in sight.  I didn’t feel like I would ever stabilize on paroxetine, so made a big gamble by switching to citalopram.  Thankfully, I am doing better on it than the paroxetine.  

I’m no expert, and have no idea if a switch would be an option for you, but maybe it’s something to think about at this point.  I’ve also used lorazepam on occasion to get me through the really tough days.  After suffering as bad as I did this summer, I realized I needed to do what I needed to do to get better even if it means going on a different medication and taking an occasional benzo to get through the day.

I am now back at my old job and able to live my life and actually enjoy it as well.

I believe you will get there too.

Never give up hope.  I know how bad the anxiety sucks, but believe it will eventually end even if you just hold and wait for things to settle down.  It won’t be like this forever.  Hang in there and know you are supported by so many people here who care about you😊

Hazel

[wantrelief]

I am so glad you are feeling better, Hazel!  

[Hazel]

7 hours ago, wantrelief said:

I am so glad you are feeling better, Hazel!  

Thank you!

[Cheeky]

SO HAPPY FOR YOU HAZEL, YOU DESERVE IT XX

[DaveB]

Update Hazel?

[Hazel]

Hi Dave,

I am happy to report I am doing pretty well.  I feel very close to stable, but not quite 100%.  I am so thankful that switching to the citalopram seems to be working.

How are you doing?

[Rosetta]

Fabulous, Hazel!!  This is wonderful to hear!

[DaveB]

1 hour ago, Hazel said:

Hi Dave,

I am happy to report I am doing pretty well.  I feel very close to stable, but not quite 100%.  I am so thankful that switching to the citalopram seems to be working.

How are you doing?

 

Wow that is SO AWESOME, you deserve it. I am still more or less the same, terrible anxiety mornings that go away by night. Down to 10mgs of Paxil which is good, if I am going to feel bad, may as well do it on a lot less medication. Going to stop testosterone treatment since I feel that has for sure made mornings worse, so hoping to see some improvement from that.

[Hazel]

14 hours ago, Rosetta said:

Fabulous, Hazel!!  This is wonderful to hear!

Thanks Rosetta!  I am so glad to finally be feeling more like myself, even if I’m still on an antidepressant.  I hope you are doing better?

 

@DaveB

I hope you see improvement soon.  Do what you need to do to feel better.  I couldn’t take feeling as bad as I was anymore, so as difficult of a decision as it was, I knew something had to change.  

You know what is best for you more than anyone else.  Trust in yourself to make the right decision for you and your family.  All the best to you, and I will continue to think of you and send good thoughts!

Hazel

[Songbird]

That is great news, Hazel,  I'm glad you're feeling much better.

[Hazel]

Thanks so much Songbird!  I’m so grateful to be feeling much better😄

[Carmie]

Hi Hazel, 

 

How are you doing? Are you still going strong and doing well? 

 

Sending hugs🤗

[Hazel]

18 hours ago, Carmie said:

Hi Hazel, 

 

How are you doing? Are you still going strong and doing well? 

 

Sending hugs🤗

Hi Carmie!

Thanks for checking in.  I am still doing well.  I still get some anxiety here and there, especially at "that time of the month", but overall I am so much better than I was over the summer.

I hope things are going well with you?

Hazel

[Rosetta]

Nice to hear!  Merry Christmas!

[Hazel]

12 hours ago, Rosetta said:

Nice to hear!  Merry Christmas!

Thanks Rosetta-Merry Christmas to you!

[Carmie]

On 12/24/2018 at 1:16 PM, Hazel said:

Hi Carmie!

Thanks for checking in.  I am still doing well.  I still get some anxiety here and there, especially at "that time of the month", but overall I am so much better than I was over the summer.

I hope things are going well with you?

Hazel

 

Hi Hazel, 

 

Glad you’re still doing well. I hope you continue to do so. I’m not too bad at the moment, thanks for asking. I’m going to start a crosstaper back to my original tablets, so let’s see how I go. I’m going to start tonight. 

 

Please check in every now and again. I’d love to read about your continued progress. 

 

Sending hugs🤗

[Hazel]

13 hours ago, Carmie said:

 

Hi Hazel, 

 

Glad you’re still doing well. I hope you continue to do so. I’m not too bad at the moment, thanks for asking. I’m going to start a crosstaper back to my original tablets, so let’s see how I go. I’m going to start tonight. 

 

Please check in every now and again. I’d love to read about your continued progress. 

 

Sending hugs🤗

Hi Carmie,

Good luck with your crosstaper-I hope it goes as smoothly as possible.  I will try to check in every now and again.  I also like to see how others are progressing.

Sending hugs right back🤗

[Carmie]

Thanks Hazel, 

 

The first night of the crosstaper went well. Let’s see what the rest of it brings. I’ll just be so glad to be back on the original tablets. I don’t mind going through waves to get there, as at least I’ll be going forwards and not backwards anymore. Once I stabilise I can taper again. Yay! 

 

Yes, please check in every now and again. I’m very happy you’re doing so well.💚

[Carmie]

Hi Hazel, 

 

Just popping by to see if you’re still doing well. My crossover was a success, I’m back on my original tablet.

 

Sending hugs🤗

[Hazel]

On 2/13/2019 at 5:22 PM, Carmie said:

Hi Hazel, 

 

Just popping by to see if you’re still doing well. My crossover was a success, I’m back on my original tablet.

 

Sending hugs🤗

Hi Carmie!

So good to hear from you.  I am still doing pretty well overall. I do get some anxious times here and there, especially around my period, but I feel like I continue to improve.

I’m so glad to hear that your crossover was  a success-that must be such a relief!

Sending hugs back to you🤗

[Carmie]

Hi Hazel, 

 

I’m glad you’ve been doing well. I can’t read through too much of your thread at the moment, but I was wondering if you’ve made any more changes since last August? If you have could you please put them in your signature. Thank you.

 

Wishing you all the best in your healing journey 💚

[Carmie]

Hi Hazel, 

 

Just checking in to see how you are. Are you still doing well?💚

[Hazel]

Hi Carmie,

thanks for checking in with me.  I am still doing well, not 100%, but so much better than I was last summer.  I still plan to hold for a while and then wil begin a very slow taper when I’m ready.

How have you been?

[Carmie]

18 hours ago, Hazel said:

Hi Carmie,

thanks for checking in with me.  I am still doing well, not 100%, but so much better than I was last summer.  I still plan to hold for a while and then wil begin a very slow taper when I’m ready.

How have you been?

 

Glad you’re still doing well Hazel, 

 

Good on you for having a long hold and really allowing your body to stabilise. Let us know how you go once you start tapering again. 

 

I’m down to 7mg now. I tapered again a week ago, so far the withdrawals haven’t been too bad. Last time I tapered I had pretty bad waves in amidst the windows for about three weeks. I just take each day as it comes. No use worrying about what tomorrow will bring, or even the next hour. We have to make the best of the moment we are in. 

 

I’m going to do another three 0.25mg drops, and then I’m going to try some form of micro tapering. That’s months away though. 

 

Wishing you all the best with your continued recovery.💚

[Songbird]

Glad to hear that you're doing well, Hazel.