Sottana: Paxil withdrawal - questions and concerns

[Ibnabu]

On 3/26/2020 at 4:48 AM, Adili13 said:

Anyone else have a supplement like magnesium go south on them? I was taking 100 mg for over a year with absolutely no problems at all. About a week ago, I attempted to up my dose from 100 to 200 mg, then 300 mg. It seems this overdose of magnesium has made it so now even my smaller dose, or even a dose smaller than that makes me incredibly tried and gives me like a weird headache. I’m obviously very sensitized and everything affects me, I just never thought this could happen with even magnesium. It’s discouraging bc I imagined it helping me. Maybe if I titrate and start at like 25 mg I’ll get used to this effects? Any advice is more than welcome.

Hi Adilli13

I am Ibnabu. I took one 1000mg slow release testosterone injection about six month ago (24/9/2019). I decided not to take anymore. Now I am faced with withdrawal from it. Will these withdrawal go away? Please help me with any information you have about trt. Thank you. 

[Ibnabu]

On 3/29/2020 at 10:34 PM, Adili13 said:

@Longroadhome my sleep schedule has been incredibly messed up due to the akathisia. It takes me a verrrry long time to fall asleep, and then I wake up super late. My diet actually isn’t too bad, I slip up on occasion, but I really try hard to eat well. No processed foods or refined sugars, try to limit gluten and dairy, etc. I was hanging out with friends at least once a week, but that’s stopped due to the global situation. I go for a walk every day, I play some guitar, I study Italian a bit and I read. Those are like the four accomplishments I strive to achieve every day, tgough, sometimes even that is too much for me. I have a journal monitoring symptoms, but you’re right, I should try to inject some more positivity into my journaling. 

Hi, 

I am Ibnabu. Akathisia will go way. I had it severe for 6 months. It is torture، it is hell on earth but it went way and it will for you. I am 100% sure. 

Good luck

[Sottana]

2 hours ago, Ibnabu said:

Hi Adilli13

I am Ibnabu. I took one 1000mg slow release testosterone injection about six month ago (24/9/2019). I decided not to take anymore. Now I am faced with withdrawal from it. Will these withdrawal go away? Please help me with any information you have about trt. Thank you. 

Hey Ibnabu, thanks for dropping in! So, if your injection increased symptoms, I’m sure it just destabilized you a bit. I’m sure it’ll resolve for you and you’ll feel much better given enough time. Just don’t take it again if it did this to you. I think time is the answer. 
 

 

2 hours ago, Ibnabu said:

Hi, 

I am Ibnabu. Akathisia will go way. I had it severe for 6 months. It is torture، it is hell on earth but it went way and it will for you. I am 100% sure. 

Good luck

Thank you! I hope it disappears for me soon. It is the most torturous symptom imaginable. 

[Sottana]

so wavey and anxious today. Feeing pretty frustrated as I’m nearing six months on my hold. 

[Sottana]

Hopefully things can turn around in the next few months. 

[sunnysideup69]

They will. In the grand scheme of things, it's still not a terribly long hold. I know it's frustrating and can feel never ending, but nervous systems do all kinds of weird things. It will settle, keep holding .

 

[Sottana]

Thank you, @sunnysideup69. I always appreciate your encouragement and advice. I’ll definitely keep holding. 

[Sottana]

Feeling very wavey and frustrated. Hate to be so negative, but that’s where I’m at. Does this nightmare ever end, ugh. Hope everyone is doing ok. Could use a friend to talk to. 

[Cocopuffz17]

4 minutes ago, Adili13 said:

Feeling very wavey and frustrated. Hate to be so negative, but that’s where I’m at. Does this nightmare ever end, ugh. Hope everyone is doing ok. Could use a friend to talk to. 

Hey! I know the feeling. I had a caffeine coffee today and I had been drinking decaf for months and it unleashed some intense headaches! Yes, it does get better and will end! The body is extremely powerful and will heal from this! 
 

Everyday that passes is one day closer to being healed! 

[Sottana]

Appreciate you, coco, as always. I hope your headache goes away soon. Yeah, just frustrated after not being stable for almost six months. I know ppl take longer than that, though. Just in a negative head-space. Have a good night, friend. 

[Cocopuffz17]

11 minutes ago, Adili13 said:

Appreciate you, coco, as always. I hope your headache goes away soon. Yeah, just frustrated after not being stable for almost six months. I know ppl take longer than that, though. Just in a negative head-space. Have a good night, friend. 

Thanks, it will! Now I know 100% to stay away from caffeine! Yes, I completely understand. But this is the hard work you have put in. Don't stop now keep going and get your reward! It will get better! You have a good night as well  

[Sottana]

Yes, gotta keep fighting. ✊

[Sottana]

Akathisia seems mildly better lately. Still having about 3 neurowaves every day. Hopefully, the lessening of the aka is a sign that I’m finally begging to stabilize. 

[Longroadhome]

11 hours ago, Adili13 said:

Akathisia seems mildly better lately. Still having about 3 neurowaves every day. Hopefully, the lessening of the aka is a sign that I’m finally begging to stabilize. 

Adili that sounds very promising 

I’m so pleased . You have been in the wave for a number of weeks and it seems like you’re  starting to see a Window 

keep going 

LRH 

[Sottana]

Thanks @Longroadhome

I hope so. It seems like my symptom pattern is diff than others in that I see several windows and waves happen each and every day. Hopefully I’m heading towards stability and a lack of waves. I really want to get back to work but still feeling a too sick. Going to cross my fingers and hope the coming months lead to a lot of change. 

[Sottana]

Many short intense waves every day. Like 3 or 4. Frustrated at the moment. Praying the next few months bring some stability. 

[Sottana]

Feeling very guilty and upset over a personal matter. I feel like it’s added to my waves so instability a bit. Just frustrated at my holding process and still hoping that holding is the best option for me to achieve better stability. Any advice or encouragement is very much appreciated and needed at this moment!!! 

[Longroadhome]

Hi Adili 

it’s the neuro emotions that you are feeling so intensely . I have the same problems anything that under normal circumstances I could rationalise I just can’t see a way around. It’s such a physical feeling too. The way I get through them is to accept the feeling and work with it present . DONT act on the way you feel as it will decrease in intensity . It will return but practice this technique. You are not alone. 
to taper or not to taper that is the question . Seriously I haven’t read of anyone being symptom free while holding or tapering Paxil . I think eventually you may have to make a decision . And only you can decide . You were also well into poop  out and this brings its own lot of symptoms also. 
maybe hold on a while longer monitor how you are feeling daily and in the near future trial a very small taper hold and see if you feel any different and take it from there .  

[Sottana]

That’s good advice, long. Yeah, the personal event has me down, for sure, and then there’s always the obsessive hum of whether I should taper or not. I think taking some time to assess my situation is a good idea. See what transpires and take it from there. I don’t expect to be symptom free from holding, but I’m still non-functional and experiencing dramatic waves. I thought by now I’d he back to at least part time work. It’s all so frustrating. 

[Sottana]

Huge uptick in insomnia for the first one in a while. Super frustrated. Anyone have any tips for regaining normal sleep patterns? 

[Longroadhome]

5 hours ago, Adili13 said:

Huge uptick in insomnia for the first one in a while. Super frustrated. Anyone have any tips for regaining normal sleep patterns? 

I’ve been having a problem here and what has helped Is ive  just accepted waking up during the night. I make myself as comfortable as possible try to relax all my muscles and concentrate on something easy and nice . Yes this is sometimes impossible but I tell myself that sleep may not come tonight or tomorrow but by the law of averages it will come eventually and I don’t get hung up about it . Well put it like this it’s worked so far!! 

[Sottana]

Great advice @Longroadhome. When the sleep comes, the sleep comes! 

[Sottana]

Is there like an agreed upon time-frame in this community where holding longer simply isn’t useful? I know some people hold for a year, but are their cases of holding even longer than that? Or is it just not wise to hold for years on end? I know there’s no concrete answer, as we’re all essentially science experiments where n=1. That being said, there has to be a general amount of time where holding just isn’t useful or doing much. Maybe I’m just torturing myself with this stuff, idk. 

[Longroadhome]

9 minutes ago, Adili13 said:

Is there like an agreed upon time-frame in this community where holding longer simply isn’t useful? I know some people hold for a year, but are their cases of holding even longer than that? Or is it just not wise to hold for years on end? I know there’s no concrete answer, as we’re all essentially science experiments where n=1. That being said, there has to be a general amount of time where holding just isn’t useful or doing much. Maybe I’m just torturing myself with this stuff, idk. 

I do speak with two people on this site that have held for two years and are nearly stable now. Both have a small amount of meds to wean off . 

however like you say we are all different  and neither were in poop out to start with. 
I think the AD you're  tapering from

makes a difference and how your body reacts to the med while tapering or on hold. We are unique. Tapering is unique. 
Im tapering and still have symptoms but I feel better knowing I’m slowly getting Paxil out my system. 

[Sottana]

@Longroadhome I’m going going to wait like 3 months I guess and then reassess. Just so sick of not working, which is why I tried this in the beginning 

[Longroadhome]

Can you try going back part time when possible as  it can’t be good for you having no structure to your day ? 

[Sottana]

I could try, but my symptoms are still dramatic and I know working would be very difficult with them. They hit about three times a day and basically knock me into bed for about half an hour or more. 

@Longroadhome

[sunnysideup69]

You've been about 5 months since your last taper, haven't you, @Sottana? I'd hang in there a bit longer, personally....this stabilisation malarkey can be frustratingly slow, and I do think the current world situ is ramping up the anxiety for a lot of us who are already sensitive...

[Sottana]

@sunnysideup69 it’s been about six months now, yeah. I agree the world situation as well as some personal stuff has made it harder. I guess I’ll hold a bit longer, yeah. How are you doing, sunny?? 

[sunnysideup69]

Just now, Adili13 said:

@sunnysideup69 it’s been about six months now, yeah. I agree the world situation as well as some personal stuff has made it harder. I guess I’ll hold a bit longer, yeah. How are you doing, sunny?? 

 

Hey Adili, I had about 9 days of feeling okay, but also ate really badly during that time...lots of sugar. So am back into two days of not feeling very good  It's so annoying to not even be able to eat sugar, but it really does upset my system. Also, don't think I was eating enough the last couple of days, which hasn't helped. I'm so glad it's a new month tomorrow, am totally ready for a fresh month.....

[Sottana]

The same thing happens to me when I have sugar! Ugh! I slip up periodically and it sets me back! It really does stink to not have the ability to just enjoy a treat once in a while, doesn’t it? That’s a good point, about a new month. It’s good to continuously feel like you’re starting a clean slate on this journey. 

@sunnysideup69

[sunnysideup69]

6 minutes ago, Adili13 said:

The same thing happens to me when I have sugar! Ugh! I slip up periodically and it sets me back! It really does stink to not have the ability to just enjoy a treat once in a while, doesn’t it? That’s a good point, about a new month. It’s good to continuously feel like you’re starting a clean slate on this journey. 

@sunnysideup69

 

It's so annoying....my friend Rachel told me it's because ...'glutamate gets activated by sugar. If blood sugar levels get too high or too low, it affects insulin, which affects glutamate and gaba and this triggers anxiety/feeling crap.'

I guess we gotta do what we gotta do.....but it is a pain, isn't it?

 

[Sottana]

@sunnysideup69 that makes sense, I’ve heard glutamate is excitatory. It is a total pain! 😡😡😡

[Sottana]

@sunnysideup69 how long do you plan to hold?

[sunnysideup69]

Just now, Adili13 said:

@sunnysideup69 how long do you plan to hold?

 

I'm going to hold until I've had two or three months of being WD normal. At the moment, because of sugar and bereavement stress, my mood is swinging around a bit too much for my liking. I've got a bit of stabilising to do yet, it seems, so am gonna hold for however long it takes to feel like I'm coping okay with tolerable symptoms. If it takes a year or longer then so be it.

[Sottana]

@sunnysideup69 its reassuring to me that you are doing this. im too afraid to taper because of symptoms, but sometimes i feel like i have to. it feels good to know others are holding in this way.