Olympia 20+ yrs on Seroxat and Rivotril

[Olympia]

Hello to all of you! 

 

This is my story in short:

23 years on 20mg Seroxat. 20 years on 0.375mg Rivotril. Main reason was a broken relationship, and next not having any safe support network to turn to at 25 of age. I felt so failed in everything and supposed something was very wrong with me. That's why I went to a psychiatrist by myself and asked to be put on Seroxat. 

 

The Rivotril was added (by another psychiatrist in another city) after experiencing horrible effects from the Seroxat like agoraphobia and panic attacks. I realize now that these were caused by the Seroxat.
In the very beginning I tried twice to get off ct, not knowing about withdrawal. Nobody of the "experts" told me. Of course I was back on them within days as the w/d symptoms just were unbearable. They told me to stay on ths medication for life. I did as I was told.
Three and a half years ago I tapered Seroxat down to 10mg and Rivotril to less than 0,250 over a period of approx 4 to 4 months. I don't remember exactly. Nor did I taper down by a schedule. I went really well and felt very good. Unfortunately some terrible things happened to someone close to me. And the next thing I remember was falling into a depression. after trying to cope for a couple of months I went back on the former doses.

Now I am doing a new effort. Planning to go extremely slow, even if this means three to four years. I have a family to take care off, so I really can't afford falling apart.

I bought a jeweller scale and got down from Rivotril around 13% since the beginning of November. This taper went really well.
Six days ago I lowered the Seroxat dose with only 2,5%. The third and fourth day were pretty hard (anxiety, almost panic, tinnitus, flu like feeling, fatique, depressed)which surprised me because it is such a small decrease. Anyway, the fifth day I was stable again. Now it's the sixth day and I am planning to lower Seroxat again with 2,5% in 24days. I will not reduce the Rivotril again until I have reduced Seroxat by 10%.

I hope my tapering works out. Thank you for reading this.

Edited December 20, 2017 by Altostrata
added screen name to title

[Altostrata]

Welcome, Olympia.

 

You are a brave person!

 

Please do not rush your taper. Going on and off drugs can make our nervous system sensitive to other drug changes. Paxil is very difficult to go off. We recommend decreases of only 10% per month. If you are taking 20mg Paxil, 2.5mg is more than 10% -- and your nervous system has let you know it's a bit too big of a decrease for you.

 

Please do not reduce again, let your nervous system rest between decreases.

 

Please read

Why taper by 10% of my dosage?

Tips for tapering off Paxil (paroxetine)

[Olympia]

Hello Altostrato,

 

Thank you for your reply! I appreciate it a lot.

 

I didn't decrease by 2,5mg, but only by 2,5%! I wouldn't dare to go down by 2,5mg after my bad experience in the past.

[Altostrata]

My mistake! Still, let your nervous system settle down between decreases. Perhaps you should allow at least 2 weeks between them.