simonb

[simonb]

It all started when I was a teenager and I was involved in an incident in a night club. After this incident my behaviour started to change, I became more withdrawn and the anxiety was overwhelming. Depression was bad and I was in a spiral of poor mental health, trouble with the police and alcohol. I now know what I was experiencing was post traumatic stress disorder. It was getting worse and in the early 80’s there did not seem to be any help. Things were getting bad and I decided to join the British Army to get out of the downward spiral of depression, anxiety and Alcohol. I served for three and a half years and mostly the symptoms abated but I could still feel them underneath the excitement and adventure that the military afforded me a distraction from my predicament .When I left the army and went back home, I felt the symptoms coming back up to the surface. After a few weeks of bad feelings and alcohol I took an overdose mostly to highlight my condition. After having my stomach pumped in A and E I was referred to a psychiatrist. He said I was depressed and prescribed imipramine. Initially 75 mg then 150mg. This helped at first but not for long and caused excessive sweating(diaphoresis) that was very uncomfortable.  This was the start of my 30-odd year of SSRI addiction. I have been on these drugs on and off over the past twenty years.

I have been very productive over the years, I have trained as an Operating Department Practitioner, working in the theatre mostly as an anaesthetic practitioner. I have also trained as a counsellor. I have completed many challenges climbed Kilimanjaro for charity and am completing the Annapurna circuit this year

 

The Drug that I am on now is Paroxetine. I was on 30 mg but have tapered down to 15mg. I tried to go down to ten but within two weeks of that I started to feel withdrawal symptoms such as High anxiety and just unease plus not sleeping well. I have decided to go back up to 15 and cut down in 2.5 mg increments as I really think that I am sensitive to drugs.  I am finding it hard to stay clear of the SSRI’s. I have also in the last few weeks day 34 given up drinking for now. I think I need this group for support while I slowly reduce the dose of Paroxetine.

[Gridley]

Welcome to SA, simonb.  We're happy to help you taper the Paroxetine.

 

We recommend tapering by no more than 10% of your current dose every four weeks.

 

Why taper by 10% of my dosage?

 

We advise tapering by a percentage of current dose rather than your current plan of decreasing by a straight 2.5mg each time.  Decreasing by a straight amount, such as 2.5mg, accelerates the amount the amount you'd be decreasing each time, making it rougher and rougher with each drop.  By contrast, decreasing by a percentage of your current dose decelerates the amount of each drop and makes things gentler on your system.

 

This link is specifically about tapering Paroxetine, including instructions on how to get the nonstandard doses you'll need for your 10% taper.

 

Tips for tapering off Paxil (paroxetine)

 

We don't recommend a lot of supplements on SA, as many members report being sensitive to them due to our over-reactive nervous systems, but two supplements that we do recommend are magnesium and omega 3 (fish oil). Many people find these to be calming to the nervous system. 

 

Magnesium, nature's calcium channel blocker 

 

Omega-3 fatty acids (fish oil) 

 

Add in one at a time and at a low dose in case you do experience problems.

 

This is your Introduction topic, where you can ask questions and connect with other members.  We're glad you found your way here.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Cocopuffz17]

Hey, welcome to SA. I was on paroxetine for 11 years. I am now 14 months off and could not of done it without this forum. There is so much useful and relevant info on here. For me it took a change in mindset, nutrition and the overwhelming support of this forum. I know you can get off of this medication!

 

Everyday that passes is one day closer to being healed

[simonb]

Hi thank you for the replies. I am staying on Paroxetine 15 mg for the next four weeks as I have stressful things going on at the moment and then going to taper down by 10% so about 12 mg.

I have already gone down to 10 mg a few days ago but went back up as started to feel a lot of anxiety and light headedness, So took myself back up to 15 for a while and take it more slowly.

 

[Gridley]

48 minutes ago, simonb said:

10% so about 12 mg.

Please keep us updated as to when you start your taper.  Given your reaction to dropping to 10mg, I definitely wouldn't go any lower than to 12mg.

[simonb]

I have also bought magnesium and good quality omega 3 fish oils from a company called mind1st.

[simonb]

Today after going back up to 15mg . The anxiety and the dizziness has nearly completely gone . This does reiterate to me that this is withdrawal and not original psychiatric symptoms returning.