Archie Posted April 15, 2019 Share Posted April 15, 2019 (edited) I’ve been on Paroxitine (Paxil) for 19 years. The last 12 years on 10mg. The drug stopped working and I am now trying to reduce. I reduced from 10mg to 8.6mg over 3 months and felt fine but when I went to 8.5mg I had constant dizziness/lightheaded, feeling down, bad and constant neck, chest and shoulder tension, headaches. I went back to 9mg and then slowly down to 8.8mg. I’ve been stuck here for 6 weeks as I’m getting the symptoms as shown above. It is normal to have these symptoms for 6 weeks without stabilising? My doctor is suggesting I start taking Prozac to help me withdraw but I don’t really want to have start issues with a new drug while having withdrawals from Paxil. Has anyone had success using a Prozac bridge with Paxil? Edited April 16, 2019 by Shep added username to title Link to comment
Moderator brassmonkey Posted April 15, 2019 Moderator Share Posted April 15, 2019 Hi Mark-- I won't approve your post until CC sorts out the name question, but this post will show up when she does. From your three opening sentences it's pretty clear that you are in what we lovingly call "poopout". It's quite common for people who have taken paxil for an extended period of time. Poopout is a "funny" situation to be in, but no laughing matter. What is happening is that your body is trying to return to its normal way of functioning and is trying to work around the presence of the drug. However, the drug is trying just as hard to maintain control. Because of the physical changes the drug has made to your body, it requires the drug to keep functioning in the manner it has become accustomed to, so you can't just stop taking the drug. There are two way to get out of poopout. They are to either increase the dose or decrease the dose. Increasing the dose should give some relief, but it will only last a few months and you're right back in the same situation. Decreasing the dose is the only real way out. However, because your body is already experiencing WD symptoms it will continue to do so for a while until it realizes that it is winning the contest. By slowly decreasing your dosage your body can heal little bits at a time with out the drug getting in the way. Once enough healing has happened you will start to feel a decrease in symptoms. Doing a taper while not feeling the benefits is one of the most frustrating parts of working one's way out of poopout. I had a very extreme case of it when I started my taper from 40mg of paxil, and it took about two and a half year before I started to see a decrease in symptoms. With you being on a much smaller dose to start with I thing it will happen much faster. For right now we need to know some more information, so if you would fill out a signature block it would be really helpful. CC will probably give you a bunch of links to other information. Read through those and then ask a lot of questions and we can get you get up with a plan that will work. Brassmonkey 20 years on Paxil starting at 20mg and working up to 40mg. Sept 2011 started 10% every 6 weeks taper (2.5% every week for 4 weeks then hold for 2 additional weeks), currently at 7.9mg. Oct 2011 CTed 15oz vodka a night, to only drinking 2 beers most nights, totally sober Feb 2013. Since I wrote this I have continued to decrease my dose by 10% every 6 weeks (2.5% every week for 4 weeks and then hold for an additional 2 weeks). I added in an extra 6 week hold when I hit 10mg to let things settle out even more. When I hit 3mgpw it became hard to split the drop into 4 parts so I switched to dropping 1mgpw (pill weight) every week for 3 weeks and then holding for another 3 weeks. The 3 + 3 schedule turned out to be too harsh so I cut back to dropping 1mgpw every 4 weeks which is working better. Final Dose 0.016mg. Current dose 0.000mg 04-15-2017 "It's also important not to become angry, no matter how difficult life is, because you can loose all hope if you can't laugh at yourself and at life in general." Stephen Hawking Link to comment
Archie Posted April 16, 2019 Author Share Posted April 16, 2019 Hi and thanks for the reply, I started decreasing in October last year by 1mg at a time but this wasn’t good. In December I saw your withdrawal method and started withdrawing at 0.1mg per week. I got down to 8.6mg until I started having horrible side effects, I went back to 9mg which didn’t help and now down to 8.8mg. I just don’t want to increase it. I want off it. What do you think about Prozac bridge? Link to comment
Moderator Emeritus ChessieCat Posted April 16, 2019 Moderator Emeritus Share Posted April 16, 2019 Here is SA's topic: the-prozac-switch-or-bridging-with-prozac * NO LONGER ACTIVE on SA * MISSION ACCOMPLISHED: (6 year taper) 0mg Pristiq on 13th November 2021 ADs since ~1992: 25+ years - 1 unknown, Prozac (muscle weakness), Zoloft; citalopram (pooped out) CTed (very sick for 2.5 wks a few months after); Pristiq: 50mg 2012, 100mg beg 2013 (Serotonin Toxicity) Tapering from Oct 2015 - 13 Nov 2021 LAST DOSE 0.0025mg Post 0 updates start here My tapering program My Intro (goes to tapering graph) VIDEO: Antidepressant Withdrawal Syndrome and its Management Link to comment
Moderator Emeritus composter Posted April 18, 2019 Moderator Emeritus Share Posted April 18, 2019 It's good that you didn't do a fast taper or a CT, @Archie. Good for you that you spent time on this site before starting the taper. What method are you using to reduce at 0.1 mg increments? Liquid or weighing pills? It could be possible that your pace was too fast for your receptors to adjust to. I'll let the mods weigh in but I think you might still be better served with a very slow taper than a bridge. How are you feeling on 8.8 mg? Apr 2018: Began 10 mg Amitriptyline (for headaches & insomnia from concussion). Jul - Aug 2018: Fast taper to 5 mg and then 2.5 mg (too fast, hellish withdrawal at 2.5 mg). Sept 2018: Reinstated 10 mg (many symptoms improved). Oct 2018 - Apr 2019: Updosed & stabilized on 11 mg (2 waves at 3 and 5 months post-withdrawal). Apr 2019 - Apr 2020: Tapered 0.5-0.25 mg per month using compounded pills: 11 mg —> 6 mg. (2 waves at 12 and 16 months post-withdrawal.) Apr 2020 - present: Switched to a liquid taper at rate of 0.1 mg per month. Currently: 1.1 mg. No more waves. Supplements: Omega-3 fish oil, Vit B12, coenzyme Q10, Hawthorn extract (for tachycardia) Tools for insomnia/waves (as needed): Epsom salt foot soaks, 0.5 mg Melatonin, quality time, waves WILL PASS. Lifestyle: Eat real foods, mostly plants; sunlight, walking, yoga; symptom tracking on adapted Glenmullen chart. Link to comment
Archie Posted April 20, 2019 Author Share Posted April 20, 2019 Hi Composter, I’m using liquid. Im ok at 8.8mg. When I drop I get a few days of feeling very uncomfortable and then not so bad. I did drop to 8.6mg with no real problems but as soon as I dropped to 8.5mg I felt really bad, something hit me at that point. I went back to 9mg but it didn’t make me feel any better. I then dropped to 8.9 and then to 8.8 where I have been for 6 weeks. I’m going to drop by .5mg per week to see how I go, if I’m getting withdrawals by dropping by .1mg and I’m not going to get away with withdrawals, I might as well drop by a slightly higher amount of 0.25mg. Link to comment
Moderator Emeritus SkyBlue Posted April 20, 2019 Moderator Emeritus Share Posted April 20, 2019 On 4/15/2019 at 2:48 PM, brassmonkey said: For right now we need to know some more information, so if you would fill out a signature block it would be really helpful. CC will probably give you a bunch of links to other information. Read through those and then ask a lot of questions and we can get you get up with a plan that will work. It's a good sign that your symptoms are evening out relatively quickly after a drop. Please do fill out a signature as requested; that will help us help you best. 2020: After 18+ years (entire adult life) on Paxil, a dangerous doctor-led "taper" in 2015, and four years tapering off the last 1 mg thanks to SA and the Brassmonkey slide, I AM COMPLETELY FREE OF PAXIL! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! Forever. 2021: Began conservative, proper, CNS-respecting taper of Zoloft, led by the only expert on me -- me. Making own liquid. 5-10% plus holds. 2022: Holding on Zoloft for now. Current dose 47 mg. Hanging in, hanging on. Severe protracted PAWS, windows and waves. While I may not be doing "a lot" by outside standards, things are graaaaadually getting better. Yoga (gentle to medium); walks; daily breath practice; nutrition, fruits/veg; nature; water; EastEnders (lol); practicing self-compassion, self-care; boundaries; connection; allowing feelings; t r u s t ing that I, too, will heal. (--> may need to be reminded of this.) "You are not alone, and this is not the end of your story." - Baylissa Link to comment
Moderator brassmonkey Posted April 20, 2019 Moderator Share Posted April 20, 2019 With all the bouncing around with the dose size it might be a good idea to continue to hold at the 8.8mg for another 6-8 weeks to let things stabilize really well. then you can start the taper. Be sure to throw in a two week hold every four or five drops. It is very important to give the body time to catch up with the changes. For many people their symptoms tend to show up a few days after a drop, it then takes several days to several weeks for those symptoms to resolve. So what your feeling is pretty normal. 20 years on Paxil starting at 20mg and working up to 40mg. Sept 2011 started 10% every 6 weeks taper (2.5% every week for 4 weeks then hold for 2 additional weeks), currently at 7.9mg. Oct 2011 CTed 15oz vodka a night, to only drinking 2 beers most nights, totally sober Feb 2013. Since I wrote this I have continued to decrease my dose by 10% every 6 weeks (2.5% every week for 4 weeks and then hold for an additional 2 weeks). I added in an extra 6 week hold when I hit 10mg to let things settle out even more. When I hit 3mgpw it became hard to split the drop into 4 parts so I switched to dropping 1mgpw (pill weight) every week for 3 weeks and then holding for another 3 weeks. The 3 + 3 schedule turned out to be too harsh so I cut back to dropping 1mgpw every 4 weeks which is working better. Final Dose 0.016mg. Current dose 0.000mg 04-15-2017 "It's also important not to become angry, no matter how difficult life is, because you can loose all hope if you can't laugh at yourself and at life in general." Stephen Hawking Link to comment
Archie Posted May 26, 2019 Author Share Posted May 26, 2019 I’ve had issues since dropping from 10mg Paxil to 8.7mg. I have been on 8.7mg for a few months. My psychiatrist wants me to continue on 8.7mg Paxil as it a low dose and add 10mg Prozac until I stabilise, possibly increase to 20mg Prozac if needed. Once stabilised reduce Paxil. My concern doing this was serotonin syndrome but my psychiatrist said that as I was in such a low dose of Paxil this wouldn’t be an issue. I am on day 5 of adding Prozac. The last few days I have been extremely out of it, very very tired and headaches although today so far is better. Link to comment
Archie Posted May 30, 2019 Author Share Posted May 30, 2019 Anyone care to comment on this overlap method? Link to comment
Moderator Emeritus Erell Posted July 1, 2020 Moderator Emeritus Share Posted July 1, 2020 How are you doing Archie ? 2006 : 20mg Paxil+Bromazepam. 2008 : cold turkey of both. 2010 : Reinstatement 20mg Paxil + Bromazepam. 2014-June2017 : Switch from Bromazepam to Prazepam, slow taper to 0mg. 2018 to August 2019 : Paxil 20mg taper (3% every 15 days). 22 Aug 2019 updose to 10mg (was at 8.4mg). 25th Sept 2019 To April 2020 : found SA, holding at 10mg Paxil. April 2020 : Paxil 10mg to Prozac 7mg bridge. Details : topic/21457 Current Supplements : magnesium citrate + fish oil Current medication : * 7pm Diazepam : 0.85mg (15 Aug 2022) / 0.95 mg (24 April 2022) / 1mg Diazepam (since 29 Aug 2020) * 8am Prozac : 6.16mg (25 oct 2022, feel awful, slight updose) / 6.08 mg (9 oct 2022) / 6.24mg (11 July 22) / 6.44mg (22 May 22) / 6.64mg (4 Nov 21) / 6.72mg (8 oct 21) / 6.8 mg (15 Sept 21)/ 6.88mg (14 Aug 21)/ 6.92mg (23 Jun 21) I am not a professional, I don't give medical advice. Discuss any decisions about your medical care with a knowledgeable medical practitioner. Link to comment
Archie Posted July 1, 2020 Author Share Posted July 1, 2020 2 hours ago, Erell said: How are you doing Archie ? Really good. I’m off aero at (Paxil) after 18 years, been off since December last year, took about a year to come down from 10mg to zero. With the help of my psychiatrist she put me on Prozac went from 10mg to 20mg and then came off seroxat, now down to 10mg Prozac and feeling good. Link to comment
Moderator Emeritus Erell Posted July 1, 2020 Moderator Emeritus Share Posted July 1, 2020 (edited) 9 minutes ago, Archie said: Really good. I’m off aero at (Paxil) after 18 years, been off since December last year, took about a year to come down from 10mg to zero. With the help of my psychiatrist she put me on Prozac went from 10mg to 20mg and then came off seroxat, now down to 10mg Prozac and feeling good. Thank you for answering ! Would you agree to detail : - how you did the bridge with Prozac (dates, drops) ? How fast did you taper Paxil ? - what symptoms occured and how did your stabilisation went ? I'm being curious because : - I'm myself doing a Prozac bridge but struggling atm - We don't have many long-term testimonies about Prozac bridge. Really pleased to read you're doing good ! Take care ❤️ Edited July 1, 2020 by Erell 2006 : 20mg Paxil+Bromazepam. 2008 : cold turkey of both. 2010 : Reinstatement 20mg Paxil + Bromazepam. 2014-June2017 : Switch from Bromazepam to Prazepam, slow taper to 0mg. 2018 to August 2019 : Paxil 20mg taper (3% every 15 days). 22 Aug 2019 updose to 10mg (was at 8.4mg). 25th Sept 2019 To April 2020 : found SA, holding at 10mg Paxil. April 2020 : Paxil 10mg to Prozac 7mg bridge. Details : topic/21457 Current Supplements : magnesium citrate + fish oil Current medication : * 7pm Diazepam : 0.85mg (15 Aug 2022) / 0.95 mg (24 April 2022) / 1mg Diazepam (since 29 Aug 2020) * 8am Prozac : 6.16mg (25 oct 2022, feel awful, slight updose) / 6.08 mg (9 oct 2022) / 6.24mg (11 July 22) / 6.44mg (22 May 22) / 6.64mg (4 Nov 21) / 6.72mg (8 oct 21) / 6.8 mg (15 Sept 21)/ 6.88mg (14 Aug 21)/ 6.92mg (23 Jun 21) I am not a professional, I don't give medical advice. Discuss any decisions about your medical care with a knowledgeable medical practitioner. Link to comment
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