Krasiyan: Introduction

[Krasiyan]

Oh sorry, my bad. Thanks for explaining it to me ChessieCat.

 

This morning I did the big step and took 5 mg of Paxil. I don't know if I should be sad or happy, because I'm feeling better now in such a short time. My muscles seem to have relaxed. It's amazing how such a small number like 5 mg can instantly make you feel different. I'm really happy that I didn't start with anything higher than this, because that would be oh boy.

[miT]

Good job. I once reinstated paroxetine 10mg after 7 months off. It felt like having a heart attack.

[Krasiyan]

Yeah my psychiatrist said to reinstate at 10 mg. Thats probably how it's supose to be done if you go by the "rules". No wonder you felt so bad - 10 mg is exactly half a pill for me.

 

I ordered a generic pill cutter so I can cut it to 5 mg instead of using a knife.

 

How do you check the mg of your dosage, because I can only manage to make 5 mg. Anything lower would be just me using my eyes, and trying to cut randomly. If by some luck the pill cutter can cut it in two that would produce 2.5 mg but no way I can fine tune reductions of 1 mg and so on.

 

 

 

 

[ChessieCat]

Getting a consistent dose is very important for stability, especially at the lower doses:

 

From Post #1 Tips for tapering off Paxil (paroxetine):

 

"From FDA prescribing information at http://www.drugs.com/pro/paxil.html

• Regular Paxil comes in 10, 20, 30, and 40 mg tablets (also true of generic paroxetine).
• Paxil CR comes in 12.5, 25, and 37.5 mg tablets.
• Paxil Oral Suspension (liquid) comes in a concentration of 10 mg/5ml

 

Reduce by 10% per month to start
The 10% rule holds for Paxil, like other psychiatric drugs: Reduce by 10% per month, calculated on the last dosage. (The amount of the reduction gets progressively smaller.)

See Why taper by 10% of my dosage?

Cutting up tablets
To reduce your dosage, cut regular Paxil tablets up with a pill cutter, available at any drug store.

If you get your prescription filled with the 10mg tablets, you may be able to cut them in half or quarters to reduce by 5mg or 2.5mg at a time.

Paxil CR tablets are enteric-coated and not designed to be split. Switch to regular Paxil if you wish to cut up the tablets.

Precisely weighing tablet pieces or crushed tablets with an electronic digital scale
You may wish to precisely measure your dosage with an electronic scale that measures milligrams. These are available for under $30 US. See Using a digital scale to measure doses

Use Paxil liquid to taper
This is the easiest and most accurate way to taper Paxil.

See FDA prescribing information at http://www.drugs.com/pro/paxil.html

Paxil Oral Suspension (liquid) comes in a concentration of 10 mg/5ml.

The ordering code for brand-name Paxil orange-colored, orange-flavored, 10mg/5 ml, in 250 ml white bottles is NDC 0029-3215-48 (http://www.hipaaspace.com/Medical_Billing/Coding/National.Drug.Codes/0029-3215-48 )

 

Some people are sensitive to changes in the form of the drug. If you are taking tablets, you may wish to take part of your daily dosage in tablet form and part in liquid for a few days to ease the transition from tablets to liquid.

Use oral syringes to taper with the liquid, see http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/235-tapering-techniques/

Make your own liquid
You can make your own liquid with water. See How to make a liquid from tablets or capsules"

[Krasiyan]

Well after about 12 hours I'm very surprised that in such a short time, and only a dose 5 mg has this kind of dramatic effect. My imagination shudders to think how I was able to sustain 40 mg for years.

 

My muscles and body has a more relaxed feeling now; I don't know if serotonin is a muscle relaxant. Appearing to be more animated than before; and feeling a sort of inner passion when engaging in different sitautions durring the day. Also there's a feeling of "high". This worries me a little because I don't want to be too happy but I already started a 5 mg dose and just going down to 2.5 mg might stresss me again. I'l have to stick with it woun't I? It's impossible to get serotonin syndrom with just 5 mg right? 

 

Pain of any kind is almoust nonexistent. Should I cry or laugh that this works so well?

 

So it was really withdrawal then?

 

I'm so happy I didn't take up the other psychiatrist's recommendation to start taking 50 mg of a certain benzodiazepine.

[Krasiyan]

Hello since 5 mg worked so fast yesterday is it adviced to try and stabilize on 2.5 or 3 mg ?

 

[ChessieCat]

In response to your question which seems to have been retracted, yes, you could reduce to a lower dose but you will need to do it immediately.

[Krasiyan]

Does that apply after the second day? I might consider it tomorrow.

And update for today is : relaxed muscles but when I laugh I don't feel almoust anything also anxious from time to time;

Will give myself some rest now.

[ChessieCat]

Reducing after 2 days should be okay.  I went from Pristiq 50mg to 100mg (2 days) then to 75mg.  But my dose was very high.  Other members have gone lower after a couple of days at lower doses.  It may take a bit longer for things to settle, but the lower the dose you can reinstate on the better.

 

Maybe go to 3mg.

[Krasiyan]

I'm just putting this out here as a general question:

 

If someone who lives in a country where compounding pharmacies do not exist could he sill use a different countries compounding pharmacie? Maybe ship or go there I'm not sure; would they accept? I sent a few emails, lets see what I get for a reply.

[baroquep]

HI Krasiyan, Personally, I wouldn't want to deal with mail order prescriptions as there is no guarantee that you will get your medication in enough time every month.  I have a compounding pharmacy right around the corner from me and have had a couple of close calls in the past as this pharmacy is extremely busy with compounding medications.  Did you decide to stick with 5mg or have to gone down to 3mg?  Please don't forget to update your withdrawal history signature and make sure that you keep notes on paper to keep track of your symptom pattern since reinstating.  It helps to keep track of your progress and alert you if you start running into trouble.  

 

Rate Symptoms Daily to Check Patterns and Progress

What to Expect in Reinstatement (James Heaney article)

Account Settings – Create or Edit a signature 

[Krasiyan]

Yes I'm sticking to 5mg. Been a little sick and running a high fever so was prescribed an antibiotic called Amoxicillin to take 2 times a day. Will need time to rest my nervers after all the stress I put myself through before I reinstated. My general state is being too sensitized because of the hardship I went through from withdrawal and getting sick with a fever was just bad luck.

[Krasiyan]

Small update: emotions still appear to be a little dull; like laughing dosen't produce any serotonin or something; the strong feel good feeling you get when you laugh is almoust non existent; overall no chest pain or muscle tightnes atleast.

 

Getting some kind of nauseating feeling when in bed a few times now, like would throw up with a strong screaming pain;

 

panic, muscle tightnes, adrenaline are all normal durring this horrible encounter - just a general feeling  of pain and nausea. Believe it's some kind of nerveous system reaction, beacause fear is missing so it dosen't escalate to a panic attack at all.

[ChessieCat]

This might explain it:  waking-with-panic-or-anxiety-managing-cortisol-spikes

 

[Krasiyan]

Thanks!

 

Small update: 5 days in and the general vibe seems to be sudden dizziness, and a bit of anxiousness. Reminds me of the earlier stages of withdrawal, before I got super uncomfortable.

 

Take care!

[Krasiyan]

Hey everyone its been ten days on 5 mg so far. Symptoms did improve initially, chest muscles relaxed, the horrible shocking feeling got better. My main symptoms are that my mood changes alot without warning during the day - it goes from exhaustion to pain and depression, funny thing is I don't see a cauze to feel so bad, but it happens on its own.

 

A not so good thing that started happening from day nine is after two hours in bed I wake up at about midnight with a classic panic attack. Rode it out, and going to bed right now again.

 

I might be a little bit better than before I started, but withdrawal does seem to be doing its thing even if its a little bit weaker.

 

Does this hint that 5 mg might not be enough?

[baroquep]

HI there, it's still far too early to tell whether or not you will need to adjust your dose.  That your symptoms improved initially is a very good sign that you are on the right track.  Unfortunately the drastic mood changes throughout the day are commonly experienced while the central nervous system tries to adjust to the changes.  As ChessieCat mentioned in a previous post, many members experience panic from cortisol spikes which in my experience tends to happen early in withdrawal but settles as you stabilize.  Stabilizing tends to occur in a windows/waves pattern with symptoms fluctuating and morphing until the central nervous system heals.  It can sometimes take many months to stabilize after the central nervous system has been disrupted by too quick a taper or by decreasing by too high a dose and it is always recommended to take things slow, keep your dose steady and most importantly to be patient while you are healing and stabilizing.   

 

Windows and Waves Pattern of Stabilization

Video:  Healing From Antidepressants - Patterns of Recovery

Keep it Simple, Slow and Stable

 

You may want to try incorporating magnesium and/or omega 3 which many members have found helpful during withdrawal, you can find more information on these supplements below:

 

Magnesium

Omega-3 Fish Oil

 

As well, many members find it helpful to incorporate techniques into their daily life that can help manage the symptoms they are experiencing.  I know that I have found tremendous help from practising mindfulness meditation and other relaxation techniques when my symptoms flare up.  You might find a technique that can help you achieve this goal at one of the links below:

 

Non-drug techniques to cope with emotional symptoms

Guided Meditations, Calming Videos, Sleep Hypnosis

Claire Weekes' Method of Recovering from a Sensitized Nervous System

[ChessieCat]

I agree with what baroquep has written.  These might also be helpful:

 

Stabilising - What Does That Mean?

Withdrawal Normal Description

 

If you are considering increasing your dose, please let us know first so that we can make a suggestion.  A very small increase is much better than going too high.

[Krasiyan]

Yes ofcourse I won't make changes without letting everyone know. Similar to my initiall start up, today I did feel some relief after a short time of taking my daily 5 mg. (I'm talking like something as small as 30 minutes). I hope I don't have to suffer for months if I can feel better just by taking it. The drug is working on me if I managed to feel it again today.

 

Just to say again 5 mg for me is splitting half a pill, because one pill is exactly 20 mg.

 

I would be okay to go up to 10 mg as my next increase, because thats exactly half a pill and it wont be messy in any way. Theres no way I can cut 5 mg to 2.5 mg its just too small.

 

Also is it a problem if your withdrawal improves only after you've taken your medication? That's a big sign that I went too fast isn't it.

 

 

 

[Krasiyan]

Yo! My symptoms started worsening really badly. Not still at a point where I can hold a job or even handle daily tasks well enough. Physically weaker also. I am considering increasing to 10 mg if that sounds reasonable. This reinstatmend did slow down withdrawal, but still sinking slowly. Not even sure how much I have to go up to be able to stabilize for good, but it dosen't seem to be 5 mg. Any stories of someone who has updosed and felt better again? Don't think I have many options.

 

Will continue the hold tomorrow, but if it becomes a pattern of worsening will have to take some kind of measures not just sit there, and suffer. My suggestion of 10 mg does sound reasonable? I don't think I can cut it to 7.5 sadly.

[Krasiyan]

Hello everyone, two days ago I updosed from 5mg to 10mg, because my anxiety was starting to be really strong. I managed to go to a job interview, and did an eight hour stay at a factory to try the new job. To tell you the truth my nervous system is tense, and on edgy mostly during the day. Even if I don't have a panic attack I get occasional waves of feeling absolutely dreadful. I think I can sleep, but its just wave city when I'm awake, if I can word it that way.

 

Hey also I found a young pigeon outside appearing in distress, and took it home with me. Gave it water, parrot food from a veterinarian, and I'm pleased to say it started eating right away. Put it in my room, no loud noises, or cold, but its just sitting there feathers all fluffed up, and looking really big/fat. Guess it dosen't trust me, and is trying to look intimidating haha.

[Krasiyan]

My plan now is to keep my dose steady like baroquep said, and just relax until everything blows over.

 

Also If I offened anyone, or something went over my head without me realising. Sorry for that, I'm happy to be a part of this site! 

[AliG]

Hi Krasiyan. We would have preferred you to check in first before making any changes and would not have advised doubling your dose. It's preferable to make very small changes to an already sensitized CNS( central nervous system).

 

On 11/13/2017 at 10:56 AM, ChessieCat said:

If you are considering increasing your dose, please let us know first so that we can make a suggestion.  A very small increase is much better than going too high.

 

 

How many days have you been on this increased dose and how has it affected your symptoms?

[Krasiyan]

I have been on a increased dose for 6 days now. A little bit of my anxiety did reduce, but it effected my mood greatly. Maybe thats why theres a warining of suicidal risks when you first start an antidepressant.

 

I get really strong feelings like life is awful. Sadness, and just negative emotions. It can get pretty intense, ike an emotional typhoon in which your feeling close to tears. And I'm a grown man.

 

You are absolutly right that my nervous system is sensitized. I'm trying to keep it together, because these depressed sensations are really strong.

 

I'm really sorry if I offended ChessieCat, and I'm very happy when people visit me in my thread. Talking is very important for me in this hard time.

[ChessieCat]

21 minutes ago, Krasiyan said:

I'm really sorry if I offended ChessieCat

 

Hi Krasiyan, nothing you have done or said has offended me.

 

22 minutes ago, Krasiyan said:

I have been on a increased dose for 6 days now.

 

It would probably be better to stay on the dose you are currently taking.  It takes about 4 days for a change in dose to get to full dose in the blood and a bit longer for it to register in the brain.  The brain likes consistency.

 

Keep it Simple, Slow and Stable

[Krasiyan]

Yes ChessieCat, I will definitely stay on it.

 

Today I countered the horrible mood swings with some good old fashioned exercise! I did a 2 hour walk in nature, sweated a little, and remined my body what its like to exercise again. Before my withdrawal started I used to do it everyday, and now that I did it again it felt good. I'm thinking of adding exercise evryday if possible, because it has such a dramatic effect!

 

There was a young boy who was also there, and I noticed he had a bottle of water with a few slices of lemon in it. When I got home I bought 2 lemons, sliced them, and put them in my water to drink, while I relax, but really exercise is amazing! If anyone is feeling down I advice you to go out, and take a walk in nature if you can, and just don't think about anything else.

[Krasiyan]

Hey everyone an updated from me. I think my withdrawal has started to stabilize a little. My nerves seem to have become super sensitive. This one time I went into the supermarket, and almoust had a panic attack from the noises, and lights. I'm gonna have to take a really long rest, every small task feels overwhelming right now, and I'm overreacting to the smalles of things. In short in a very sensitized state. Wanted to get a job, but now that I'm so  overstimulated it will have to wait. Haven't had a panic attack atleast, so yeah right now in this very fragile state, of not being able to do anything. Going to need alot of rest, even video games feel ovewhelming. Its amazing how a person could become so sensitive to everything around him. The only thing I can do now is chill, and take evrything super slow, its not good for me to react so strongly to every little detail.

[ChessieCat]

14 hours ago, Krasiyan said:

This one time I went into the supermarket, and almoust had a panic attack from the noises, and lights.

 

I know all about this.  I was in a large store 2 days ago and couldn't find what I was looking for and was considering leaving.  I was so concerned that I would burst into tears if someone asked if they could help me.  At least I understood what was happening which meant that I didn't end up with the second fear, or fear of the fear.  I did find what I was looking for, was helped by a very nice young gentleman, and bought the product.  It could have turned out so differently!

[rupa]

Krasiyan please update, how are you?

[powerback]

On ‎30‎/‎11‎/‎2017 at 8:23 AM, Krasiyan said:

Hey everyone an updated from me. I think my withdrawal has started to stabilize a little. My nerves seem to have become super sensitive. This one time I went into the supermarket, and almoust had a panic attack from the noises, and lights. I'm gonna have to take a really long rest, every small task feels overwhelming right now, and I'm overreacting to the smalles of things. In short in a very sensitized state. Wanted to get a job, but now that I'm so  overstimulated it will have to wait. Haven't had a panic attack atleast, so yeah right now in this very fragile state, of not being able to do anything. Going to need alot of rest, even video games feel ovewhelming. Its amazing how a person could become so sensitive to everything around him. The only thing I can do now is chill, and take evrything super slow, its not good for me to react so strongly to every little detail.

I could of written the exact same post K,i haven't been to my parents in weeks and I was there today ,I had to leave because they are hard of hearing and the TV was on full blast ,its nearly impossible to function in a world being so sensitive ,I'm also very skittish ,it can get embarrassing ,a dog walker wondered what the hell I was like when I was startled by a dog running behind me one day .I'm trying to work out were I can go for a month to get away from society ,I need a break badly . 

[Krasiyan]

On 26.01.2018 г. at 5:21 PM, rupa said:

Krasiyan please update, how are you?

 

Yo everyone! It's been a while.Time to write an update so lets do this!

 

So I've been sinking into this hole of not being motivated to do anything in real life and just being stressed 24/7. Somehow I managed to get myself so stressed out that when I wake up I get an instant headache. I think I'm in a breakdown or atleast close to it. My day usually goes as follows : wake up, play a few video games on the pc, and try to take in as little stimulation as possible. The more stimulation I get the more stressed out I become. Can't handle loud noises and even playing too much games can be exhausting. Add that with the lack do do anything and I'm just sitting there wasting away. Been taking 20mg of paxil since December 13 but when I'm in this sorry state, I dunno, If adding more would help.