Sunnyhope: Lexapro withdrawal - adverse effect - need advice

[Sunnyhope]

Hi

Thank you for this forum! I am in a mess right now and need some advice. 

 

In february I decided to give lexapro 10 mg a try as I struggled more and more with ocd.  That decision took everything away from me! 
 

Drug history prior to this:  

Paxil 20- 40 mg from 1991-2000 and 2003-2015.  

Prozac 5 mg 2015 to february 2021 (plus 5 mg valium as needed for anxiety,  2 to 4 times a week ) 

 

Back to lexapro and 2021: 

I experienced  adverse effects after 4 weeks: motor dysfunction in teeth/jaw. But I hoped it was initial side effects that would go away. So I continued.  

 

After lowering my dose to 5 mg, then 2,5 then 1,25 with problems still there, I quit on May 7th.  

 

I am now in WD worse than ever! I am in anxiety-terror 24/7 and have terrible insomnia. The physical symptoms are many and terrible, I never had physical symptoms in WD before.  

 

I got so sick I eventually wanted to end everything - and my family couldnt cope. I was then voluntarely commited to a psyciatric hospital.  

 

Both the hospital and my family wanted me to start medication again. I refused, which was unpopular.  Then they wanted me to get ECT treatment in stead. So, being desperate to do something, I started a small dose of paxil. I started with 0,2 mg, went up to 1,7 mg in hope of a positive effect. (Why paxil? Not daring to reinstate lexapro(adverse effect) , and the prozac never helped my anxiety, and I was desperate for something to work) 

 

I almost immediatly regretted it. 

But now I was terrified to quit.  What if things got worse?  Also my family kept begging me to be on medication, as I behave in a crazy way.  Its been close to five weeks on Paxil now.

 

(Yesterday I  learnt on your forum  that I may could have just quit it if I i did it sooner. My regret ocd is terrible, so I have to try to forgive myself). 
 

So now my question is:  how do I taper from here?  Or is it unsafe to change anything now? I think I have gotten back a side effect from Paxil, (the irony - no benefits, just downsides). So I really want to get off it. 

 

Thanks for being here for us!

 

(I didnt figure out how I put my Drug history in the footer? Only have an iPhone available right now. )

 

Edited November 27, 2021 by ChessieCat
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[Kiasofia]

Welcome @Sunnyhope

I am sorry you are going through this and are suffering, but relieved you have found us. This forum is run by others like you who have been through and survived, or are surviving, the negative effects of psychiatric drugs. I will write in English as it is important that others can see what is answered, and it is the language of the forum, otherwise it's tempting to answer in Norwegian for once!

 

I'm relieved you said no to ECT. I was in your situation and said yes. It was a big mistake. It's horrible that withdrawal/adverse reactions to these drugs are so misunderstood and that a damaging "treatment" like ECT is used. In my opinion it should be illegal. Medical professionals will say it is safe, but that is because those of us who were harmed by it are not believed (and we are many!).

 

As you know, coming off these drugs can cause many different withdrawal symptoms, often leading to doctors thinking the original condition is returning or that another mental illness has emerged.

What is withdrawal syndrome?

Dr. Joseph Glenmullen's withdrawal symptom checklist

 

When we recover, there are times of feeling OK mixed in with times of feeling bad.  This is called windows and waves.

The Windows and Waves Pattern of Stabilization

 

Had you not started Paxil, we would have suggested starting 1mg of citalopram/cipramil/celexa. The gentler version of escitalopram/cipralex/lexapro. At this point I'm not sure making another change is worth the risk though.

About reinstating and stabilizing to reduce withdrawal symptoms

 

Paxil is known for being very difficult to quit. It is promising that you have been able to before. But we also know that starting and stopping drugs can get harder and harder. So being careful is wise. Ideally it is advised to stabilize before tapering. But depending on how bad your side effects are and the fact that it is not ideal to stay on Paxil, means trying to taper now might be worth it. Are you taking a liquid version?

 

Why taper by 10% of my dosage?

NEVER SKIP DOSES TO TAPER

Tips for tapering off paroxetine (Paxil, Seroxat)

 

Aside from a high quality fish oil and magnesium, be careful with supplements. Your central nervous system (CNS) has become sensitized from psychiatric drug use and can react unpredictably. Alcohol, caffeine, nicotine and other mind altering substances can make the condition worse.

Important topics about tests, supplements, treatments, diet

 

Here is our symptoms and self care section, you may find some useful ideas to help manage symptoms as you recover. 

Symptoms and self care topics

 

I've given you quite a bit of information here.  Please read through it, and think about it, and we will take it from there. In the meantime, take care of yourself, and take heart. We in this forum have been through this, and we understand first hand the pain and discomfort you are going through. Please know that the brain is amazing in it's healing abilities. It takes time, but healing can and will happen.

Edited November 30, 2021 by Kiasofia

[Sunnyhope]

2 hours ago, Kiasofia said:

But depending on how bad your side effects are and the fact that it is not ideal to stay on Paxil, means trying to taper now might be worth it. Are you taking a liquid version?

 

FIRST:   Thank you so much for your kind reply. (Tusen takk!)
 

The side effects are bad - my metabolism is destroyed again, which makes my horrific WD even worse.
 

Liquid version is not available here anymore, or I couldnt find it?  I made a panic «self made» solution, don’t even know if I did it correctly.  I am dissolving a 5 mg paxil pill in 50 ml of water. 10 ml solution then equals 1 mg paxil. With a syringe I get 17 ml and drink it. There is white undissolved particles in the solution, try to shake to even this out.   I will  read the links on how to make your own solution carefully.  

 

2 hours ago, Kiasofia said:

 

Had you not started Paxil, we would have suggested starting 1mg of citalopram/cipramil/celexa. The gentler version of escitalopram/cipralex/lexapro. At this point I'm not sure making another change is worth the risk though.

While in the hospital (and still) I was constantly beating my self up for not researching better before starting Lexapro.  Now I have a new stupid mistake to worry about, «reinstating» paxil. The timing is so cruel, I found this forum too late!  
 

I’ve bridged paxil to prozac before, dont know if that is possible now, or if its even possible to think about bridging to citalopram?  As you say, the risk may be too high.

 

What do you experts think?  
 

 

Thanks
 

 

[Kiasofia]

I also found this forum "too late", but better late than never! And it really helps to be a part of this community and get knowledge and understanding about what is really going on here. We all should have researched better before saying yes to these drugs. But we are taught to trust doctors. So I think we need to try to forgive ourselves for this somehow. It is easier to do when you are not in the middle of withdrawal/side effect hell though.

 

I was curious if they have liquid versions in pharmacies in Norway. I haven't checked myself. But learning to make your own is very good! Well done!

 

I have a good understanding about the basics of these drugs, but when the situation is more complicated, like I feel it is in your case I would like input from more moderators/administrators before suggesting a bridge. The forum is very busy at the moment, but I hope I can get an answer for you soon. You can try doing a 10% decrease in the Paxil dose and see if it makes you feel worse/better/no different after a week and we can take it from there.

 

To advise you it will help knowing:

What are your side effects now?

When you started lexapro 5mg (before increasing to 10mg) how did you feel?

What withdrawal symptoms are you having now? (I attached a document I think is helpful.)

 

Add to your signature: The date you quit Lexapro (can be early/mid/late May if you don't know exactly).

 

I don't know if you are in any condition to read and it doesn't have to be now, but at some point I highly recommend reading  Anatomy of an Epidemic by Robert Whitaker as well as A straight talking introduction to psychiatric drugs by Joanna Moncrieff to better understand these drugs and their effects. The Council for Evidence based Psychiatry also has a lot of good information. Or have your family/anyone pressuring you to take medication read these.

Drglenmullen_withdrawal_symptoms.pdf

Edited November 30, 2021 by Kiasofia

[Sunnyhope]

2 hours ago, Kiasofia said:

To advise you it will help knowing:

What are your side effects now?

When you started lexapro 5mg (before increasing to 10mg) how did you feel?

Thanks again @Kiasofia  

i am greatful for you consulting some other moderators to:) 

Side effects paxil:

the first three weeks noticed no difference, not good not bad. Then:

metababolism. Started one week ago, almost over night, I suddenly felt full all the time even without eating, and its lasting. I barely eat and yet my stomach gets bigger. This side effect was the main reason I quit paxil: I gained weight even on a 1000 kcal a day diet.  
Maybe some  «fatigue» came back too:  I sometimes wake up at 0600 in stead of 0400 to 0500 (go to bed 0100), But don’t know if that would have improved anyway. 

 

Lexapro: On 5 mg I felt amazing!  My anxiety and ocd and dread lessened, my family commented the positive change. I increased to 10 mg because «thats what you are supposed to». Dont remember feeling any different when I upped to 10 mg. Later I was shocked to get a feeling of being «high» on Lexapro, almost felt i was craving more, never experienced that with paxil or prozac.  I think the teeth thing started  around mid march. 
 

3 hours ago, Kiasofia said:

What withdrawal symptoms are you having now?

physical - main ones: 

- motor dysfunction teeth/jaw. Unvoluntary teeth movement, teeth/jaw cant relax in normal position, numb teeth, cant feel them while eating or brushing my teeth. Unvoluntary bite myself in inner cheek while chewing. 
-lost taste, food hardly tastes as before, cant enjoy eating
- Severe physical numbness all over body, started in fingers and toes on Lexapro, after quitting «everywhere». Example: cant feel the water on my head when showering 
- tinnitus ( comes ang goes, lessens if I press my fingers on the ears) 

- sensitivites to smell - perfumes smell disgusting and bothers me

- back pain (feels like menstrual pain, and I am done with menopause ) 

- headpressure/swollen brain/hard to consentrate

- dry skin and body, dont sweat, except for

- extreme night sweats, never had that before

 

 

 

Mental:

extreme anxiety

insomnia - cortisol rush/wake up

intrusive thoughts/ regret ocd/ ocd

SI

 

Hardly functions, cant work, cant enjoy anything, spend hours in bed, have to distract myself all the time to calm down. 
 

…

 

I will lower my paxil dose by 10 percent and report back. 
 

I am not able to read the boks you suggested now, mostly mentally because of regret, but maybe if I ever get well again ..

 

Thanks

[Kiasofia]

1 hour ago, Sunnyhope said:

I increased to 10 mg because «thats what you are supposed to»

This is unfortunately typical. Doctors are on autopilot following a manual instead of seeing how a patient is responding. 10mg is a very strong dose (equals 20 mg citalopram) and many cannot handle this. These drugs are powerful psychoactive substances. I don't think now is the time for you to read those books either, but your doctor or family should!

 

1 hour ago, Sunnyhope said:

insomnia - cortisol rush/wake up

Some have found using a sleep mask helps with this. Morning light can trigger the cortisol rush. Of course it is the dark season now...but maybe try?

 

For anxiety: have you heard of "Tapping"? There is an app called "The Tapping Solution" that has a free session for anxiety. About tapping:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pAclBdj20ZU

 

I read in your sign up info that you also tried celexa and buspar? If this is correct, please add the dates you started and quit and the dose to your signature. How did you react to taking these drugs and why did you quit? You took them after quitting lexapro?

 

Since Paxil isn't helping withdrawal I think starting with a 10% reduction and going from there is a good idea. If it was celexa or prozac you had reinstated and you didn't have side effects we could have considered a slight dose increase. But with Paxil I think going off is better than going up.

Edited November 30, 2021 by Kiasofia

[Sunnyhope]

Thanks again @Kiasofia Just a quick other but important question. 
 

i am going to the hair dresser tomorrow, havnen’t gone since WD kicked in. 

Just realized: 

 

IS IT SAFE TO DYE HAIR, or should I just get a cut.? For my childrens sake I would like to hide the grey hair, it makes me look even sicker and they are so sorry that I am ill. But I dont want to risk additional problems..

 

Thanks

[Altostrata]

Hello, @Sunnyhope

 

What effect do you feel from 1.7mg Paxil? How did your symptom pattern change?

 

It appears that you had an adverse reaction to an increased dosage, to 10mg Lexapro. This amount was too much for you. Now you have withdrawal from tapering too fast, over maybe a month?

 

You say

1 hour ago, Sunnyhope said:

Lexapro: On 5 mg I felt amazing!

 

Why don't you go back to 5mg Lexapro, or 5mg citalopram, Lexapro's milder sibling?

 

I can't quite follow why it is your doctor cannot handle this?

[Sunnyhope]

13 minutes ago, Kiasofia said:

 

I read in your sign up info that you also tried celexa and buspar? If this is correct, please add the dates you started and quit and the dose to your signature. How did you react to taking these drugs and why did you quit? You took them after quitting lexapro?

Yes! I will update the signature. A little unsure about dates. Buspar was while I was on Lexapro, I thought the teeth thing was bruxisme and medical articles on  «Google» said this might help (now knowing that doctors love to fix side effects by adding drugs). It didnt help the teeth and gave me a headache. I tried for maybe a week on Lexapro and then maybe a week off Lexapro. I didnt have anxiety then, so was looking for effect on bruxisme. Mostly headache and a suspiscion of getting worse without being able to pin point it. At the end I tried celexa in stead of lexapro, come to think of it i think I quit celexa and not lexapro on May 7th. I have to check when it was prescribed..,

 

 

thanks again

[Kiasofia]

19 minutes ago, Sunnyhope said:

At the end I tried celexa in stead of lexapro,

What was the reason for this? Did you notice a difference? Worse? Better? Same? Try to find out what dose you were taking.

 

33 minutes ago, Sunnyhope said:

IS IT SAFE TO DYE HAIR

Many things can trigger withdrawal, but I personally haven't heard of anyone getting worse from this.

 

[Sunnyhope]

Thank you for replying @Altostrata    I feel honoured!

 

22 minutes ago, Altostrata said:

What effect do you feel from 1.7mg Paxil? How did your symptom pattern change?

I honestly didn’t feel any effect ( I guess I was hoping for the immediate effect from former reinstatements of Paxil. But was too scared to quit after I had done it.  After 3 weeks, one week ago - almost over night - I suddenly feel full all the time and my stomach feels bigger and bloated. I slept maybe a little bit better this week, (have sometimes been able to go back to «sleep/rest» one more hour after walking up from cortisol rush, ).  I am not sure if this has anything to do with Paxil. 

 

29 minutes ago, Altostrata said:

It appears that you had an adverse reaction to an increased dosage, to 10mg Lexapro. This amount was too much for you. Now you have withdrawal from tapering too fast, over maybe a month?

It happened on 10 mg, yes! I went down to 5 mg to no avail, but I guess the damage was done?  Forgot to mention: at some point, I think I after I reduced down to 5 mg, new disturbing symptoms of numbness, hyperacusis, tactile sensitivity and some tinnitus came along. This was so disturbing that I immediatly cut down to 2,5, and then switched to celexa. (I’ll update my signature on this) Symptoms didnt go away and I rushed to quit. But maybe those new symptoms was WD from lowering dosage?

 

46 minutes ago, Altostrata said:

Why don't you go back to 5mg Lexapro, or 5mg citalopram, Lexapro's milder sibling?

 

I can't quite follow why it is your doctor cannot handle this?

After quitting Lexapro/ (ending with 4 -7 days on citalopram, ) my teeth/jaw symptoms and the numbness persisted and also got worse, so I became really afraid of Lexapro.  

 

But if that was because of a too strong dosage…
 

Is it possible to go back as you suggest, on citalopram for example?

 

Also, as I am now learning, I did a mistake of going straight from 5 mg prozac ( and 5 mg valium 2-4 times a week) to Lexapro. 
Maybe the adverse effect from Lexapro was actually fully or partly WD from prozac?  (Feel so embarrased of the complexity of this, I honestly never thought I would start a new AD, I think I lost my mind somehow. Since it was «working»  - the anxiety and ocd got better, I tried all the dosage changes, the Buspar, the Citalopram switch to «get rid of» the side effects. 

 

And my doctor?  My former doctor got a new job before christmas 2020, so this doctor was new to me. When the adverse reaction and then WD hit, she denied the possibility of that, cancelled my appointments and askes me to call psychiatric 911 and eventually  «handed» me over to a collegue of hers, who also said my case belonged to the psych ward. So not much help there. 
 

Thanks again, I am so greatful that I get help and your attention and time on this. 
 

 

 

 

 

[Altostrata]

I cannot follow your drug changes, sorry.

 

Why did you switch from Prozac to Lexapro?

 

When you started 5mg Lexapro, before you increased to 10mg, did you have any adverse effects?

 

What are your most prominent drug-related symptoms now?

[Sunnyhope]

Thanks again:) . Yes,  it’s complicated,  I am embarrassed  

1 hour ago, Altostrata said:

Why did you switch from Prozac to Lexapro?

I started Prozac when things got rough after quitting Paxil,  as I was determined to stay away from Paxil. ( I bridged to prozac at the end of the tapering).
 

I didn’t feel that prozac really helped. But having no noticeable side effects I stayed on it to not get worse .

 I’ve since struggled with extreme regret of things I did or didn’t do I my past, constant worrying, and OCD   Lately I felt I couldn’t go on like this anymore: in a weak moment in February I suddenly thought it was a good idea to start an AD that was more effective than Prozac. (And I’ve fought hard to stay away from further ADs) I had read that Lexapro was effective for anxiety  and with fewer side effects.
 

2 hours ago, Altostrata said:

When you started 5mg Lexapro, before you increased to 10mg, did you have any adverse effects?

I didn’t  have any adverse effect on 5 mg. The adverse effect came 4-5 weeks after starting Lexapro, I upped to 10 mg after two weeks, so not immediatly. 
 

(To complicate things further: learning more and more on this forum I now wonder. What if it never was an adverse effect but rather WD from Prozac?  Or Valium? I stopped both CT when starting Lexapro. (Again, I’m so embarrassed by the complexity) 

 

2 hours ago, Altostrata said:

 

What are your most prominent drug-related symptoms now?

Mental: extreme anxiety , regret ocd, emotional pain. insomnia. Agitated.  Constantly plagued by anguishing thoughts. 
 

Physical: motor dysfunction teeth/jaw. Extreme numbness ALL over,  outside and inside the body.  Like having anaesthesia from the dentist all over.  Numb and swollen brain. 

[Sunnyhope]

Hi @Kiasofia  

 

First some positive news: I went to the hairdresser today, first time since WD hit me, (brought a friend to manage) and now I at least look ok;). I chose a milder hair colour to be sure..

 

On 11/30/2021 at 11:10 PM, Kiasofia said:

 

On 11/30/2021 at 10:45 PM, Sunnyhope said:

At the end I tried celexa in stead of lexapro,

What was the reason for this? Did you notice a difference? Worse? Better? Same? Try to find out what dose you were taking

 

 
The first month on lexapro I felt so good. When the teeth movement dysfunction came, I tried anything to make it go away so I could continue on Lexapro . I googled a lot. I think I may have read somewhere that someone got rid of bruxism as a side effect by switching to Celexa. I noticed no difference on the problem. It didn’t get worse but as it already was bad I quit. 

I was on 2.5 mg lexapro when I switched to celexa and tried 5 mg ( being equivalent)   This was April 23, and i quit May 7th. 

[Altostrata]

You took Prozac for 6 years. How did you feel while you were taking it, all that time?

 

How long did you take Celexa, at what dosage?

 

What times o'clock do you take each of your drugs, with their dosages? How do you feel before and after taking Paxil?

[Sunnyhope]

@Kiasofiaforgot to mention. I lowered the celaxa dosage to 2.5 then 1.25 before quitting, dont have the details. 

[Sunnyhope]

@Altostrata @Kiasofia

 

Thanks again for your time and concerns. 

 

14 hours ago, Altostrata said:

You took Prozac for 6 years. How did you feel while you were taking it, all that time?

 It may sound strange, but I always thought of myself as being AD-free these years!  I had non of the terrible side effects, I could eat normal again without gaining weight (lost the extra 25 pounds Paxil weight) , I didn’t sleep all the time, I could laugh from the heart again, I did better at work, my looks got better. In this way I was extremely happy with the situation, the happiest in years!

 

I struggled a lot mentally though.  I felt  Prozac didn’t help, I used it almost like a safety blanket, in case i got worse if I quit it.     (And maybe that’s true.  ) 

The mental struggle was tougher in some periods than others. (Didn’t know about waves- this could be it).  I had terrible past regrets rumination, felt awful like someone had died. I plagued my family by repeating the same concerns again and again.  Especially the past regret was terrible. I didn’t know it was OCD, (I didn’t have OCD when I first started antidepressants!)  I believed the thoughts. So I was busy fixing my past mistakes and still I didn’t feel better.

 

15 hours ago, Altostrata said:

How long did you take Celexa, at what dosage?

I tried celexa as a last resort to make what I thought was a bruxism side effect go away. ( I also had numbness, hyperacusis and tactile sensitivity) I read somewhere on the internet that this switch might help. This was between April 23, and May 7th when I quit.

 

I was on 2.5 mg lexapro when I switched to celexa and tried 5 mg ( being equivalent)   . I lowered the celaxa dosage to 2.5 then 1.25 before quitting, dont have the details.  

 

I now  really don’t understand why I didn’t go back to Prozac after I quit in May .Why would I think I would be ok being on nothing all of the sudden? I think it’s because I didn’t get the anxiety back right away. 
 

What if it never was adverse effects from Lexapro, but WD after CTing Prozac? It never crossed my mind. 

 

15 hours ago, Altostrata said:

 

What times o'clock do you take each of your drugs, with their dosages? 

Paxil:  1.5 mg at six am.  The time is randomly chosen, it was just the time of day I panicky took it the first time. 
 

In the morning:  (depending on when I get out of bed. ) 

Magnesium and meds for high blood pressure  and thyroid ( wasn’t enough lines to put it in signature, do you want it there?). 

 

melatonin:  around midnight. 
 

16 hours ago, Altostrata said:

How do you feel before and after taking Paxil?

Two weeks ago there was a period where I think I felt burning in my face right after taking it, but somevdays I felt this before taking it, so not sure if it a real symptom  or anxiety.( I regretted starting on it, still do, and it terrified me. ) 

After I got the terrible side effect of feeling full and stuffed all the time ( it’s like the metabolism is dead/ no burning of kcalories), I feel nothing different before or after taking it. I’ll monitor it, but this is what I think now. 

[Kiasofia]

20 hours ago, Sunnyhope said:

I went to the hairdresser today

I'm glad to hear you were able to do that. It can take a lot of strength to do that when we are feeling terrible.

 

4 hours ago, Sunnyhope said:

Why would I think I would be ok being on nothing all of the sudden? I think it’s because I didn’t get the anxiety back right away. 

The withdrawal that these drugs cause (such as extreme anxiety, hopeless depression, obsessive thinking/OCD) tricks people (and their friends, family, doctors) into thinking that they need the drugs. In fact it is withdrawal. Had you taken Prozac this spring, it might have been able to cover the lexapro withdrawal. But it would not cure a mental health problem that you need medication for. You have been on what is called "the drug carousel" for so long that it's impossible to know what your natural state of being is.

 

A better question would be; "Why would I think I would be ok quitting without doing a very long and very slow taper, considering I had been taking drugs for 30 years?" And the answer would be; "Because this knowledge is only on online forums, that we are told not to trust, and not at the doctors office where it should be."

 

I find the English language much more honest than Norwegian in this case. There are pharmaceutical drugs and there are illegal drugs. But they are both called drugs, and the help they might offer can come at quite a price, be it cocaine or prozac. I avoid using the word medicine when it comes to psychiatric drugs. They are drugs not medicine.

 

So don't regret trying to get off the carousel even though you are suffering now❤️

[Altostrata]

8 hours ago, Sunnyhope said:

In the morning:  (depending on when I get out of bed. ) 

Magnesium and meds for high blood pressure  and thyroid ( wasn’t enough lines to put it in signature, do you want it there?). 

 

Yes, we need to know about other drugs. What are you taking for high blood pressure? How much does your dosage schedule vary? When was the last time you got a thyroid evaluation?

[Sunnyhope]

9 hours ago, Altostrata said:

What are you taking for high blood pressure? How much does your dosage schedule vary?

High blood pressure: Adalat oros (nifedipine) 60 mg, renitec comp (enalapril) 40 mg, potassium chloride 3x750 mg. 

 

(I get low on potassium from renitec comp)

 

thyroide: 75 mcg levothyroxine. 
 

Dosage schedule: do you mean vary in dosage size or drugs taken?

 

9 hours ago, Altostrata said:

When was the last time you got a thyroid evaluation?

thyroid evaluation? I get blood levels checked regularly. Took a blood test yesterday. I went to a hormone doctor three years ago. She switched me to armour thyroid as a try,  but I didn’t notice any difference and it’s so expensive and hard to get here. So I switched back when the prescription ran out. 
 

Thanks again for helping me, 
 

@Altostrata and @Kiasofia

[Sunnyhope]

 

Hi my dearest @Altostrata and @Kiasofia  

HELP - PAXIL:

one other important issue: I am really devastated that I reinstated paxil. It was done in panic! Like a heroin addict caving in. 

 

Well. Now my worst side effect from Paxil is back. It’s really really bad!  I can’t live like that. 
 

I can’t eat, I’m not hungry, yet I’m gaining weight!

 

Two weeks ago I had a perfectly normal metabolism. I ate all well on regular meals 4 times a day  and I got hungry again before each meal.

 

 Then all of the sudden I feel full all the time. I can hardly eat one slice of bread. I can feel that something isn’t working. The «burning food» mechanism feels dead. I’ve been eating next to nothing this week still my stomach gets bigger. Until now I’ve been the same weight for years no matter what I ate or how much I exercised. 
 

This is traumatising. I had (by not looking back  ) forgotten how terrible I felt on Paxil. I was constantly dieting, never ate any sweets, chips or treats. Always said no thanks when offered something. I lived on 1000-  1200 kcal for years and exercised hard each day, and still was 25 pounds larger than now. Always hungry and yet full and bloated.  It made me antisocial, I wouldn’t go out for a beer or snack with friends or colleagues, I did seldom invite guests, didnt look forward to holidays or trips.   I ate different food than my family, (they would have pasta, I made low carb or lean fish ) etc.

 

I can’t go back there!

 

Some of the worst was not being believed  by doctors and family and friends. “Oh you’re probably eating more than you think, you should exercise more etc, it’s not possible that the drugs do this, or maybe they increase appetite, you must be eating more.”

 

I feel trapped. I made a mistake,  but in other areas of life you can correct mistakes. 
 

So, What to do?  
 

Taper Paxil by 10 percent over two years. (If possible?)

 

Or do I have a chance of replacing it with for example prozac and taper that in stead. What are the risks? 
 

And is there anything to be done with that awful side effect?

 

ps:  the last days I have been calmer and more able to go back to sleep after waking in panic 4-5 am.  Don’t know if that’s the sedating effect of the Paxil or the relief that I found you and feel some hope again and not so alone. 
 

Again thanks for your kind support and time!  

 

 

[Altostrata]

How did you feel after reducing Paxil to 1.5mg on November 30?

 

7 hours ago, Sunnyhope said:

thyroid evaluation? I get blood levels checked regularly. Took a blood test yesterday. I went to a hormone doctor three years ago. She switched me to armour thyroid as a try,  but I didn’t notice any difference and it’s so expensive and hard to get here. So I switched back when the prescription ran out. 

 

Some of your symptoms may be from too much thyroid drug. This may not be apparent from blood tests. Also, the need for thyroid medication changes after you go off other drugs. You might see the hormone doctor again to see if your medication is at the right level.

 

7 hours ago, Sunnyhope said:

Dosage schedule: do you mean vary in dosage size or drugs taken?

 

I mean times o'clock when you take your drugs. What is your daily schedule, with times o'clock? How much does it vary from day to day?

[Sunnyhope]

45 minutes ago, Altostrata said:

How did you feel after reducing Paxil to 1.5mg on November 30?

So far I haven’t noticed any difference that I can pin to the change. I have had a few calmer moments in the past few days, but maybe that’s because I don’t feel so left alone now that I get some guidance. The act of reducing the dose in it self felt very good. 

 

51 minutes ago, Altostrata said:

Some of your symptoms may be from too much thyroid drug

Oh,  that’s a good point!  I’ll get in touch with the hormon doctor. 
 

 

54 minutes ago, Altostrata said:

What is your daily schedule, with times o'clock? How much does it vary from day to day?

I take the drugs before breakfast. Before I got sick it used to be pretty consistent. 9 am in the morning. ( I started work at 1000).   Sometimes later in the weekend. Now that I  am sick it has been a total chaos, sometimes forget all day, or even a whole day.  I’ve tried to get better at this the last few days. I’ve set an alarm for the Paxil at 06 pm. 

[Altostrata]

It's absolutely essential you take your drugs consistently at the same times each day. When you take neuroactive drugs such as Paxil and blood pressure drugs inconsistently, that can cause the uncomfortable symptoms you have been attributing to withdrawal. It could be you have reinstated Paxil unnecessarily.

 

It's best to take drugs that may interact, such as Paxil and blood pressure drugs, at different times of day.

[Sunnyhope]

1 hour ago, Altostrata said:

It's absolutely essential you take your drugs consistently at the same times each day.

I’ll make sure to do that from now!  Hadn’t thought about the importance of this!

 

My worst symptoms (including bodily anaesthesia  and numbness all over started and persisted while still taking blood pressure drugs consistently. But it surely didn’t make things better when I let this slide. 

[Sunnyhope]

2 hours ago, Altostrata said:

It could be you have reinstated Paxil unnecessarily.

- crying- !  
Yes, all use of Paxil is unnecessary in my book.  It’s like Paxil has been whispering to me like an evil snake. Come on, you need me! It breaks my heart. 

[Kiasofia]

At least you are on a low dose. The lower the better. And you said no to ECT! So you have made one very good decision at least!

[Sunnyhope]

@Kiasofia  

3 hours ago, Kiasofia said:

 

At least you are on a low dose. The lower the better. And you said no to ECT! So you have made one very good decision at least!

 

Thanks for reminding me of that!  It’s easy to forget. 

[Altostrata]

We need to see the results of consistent daily dosing of all your drugs before making any decisions. It could be the dosage of the blood pressure drug is too high.

[Sunnyhope]

Sounds wise! I’ve set an alarm for the blood pressure and thyroid  drugs at 10 am and the Paxil at 6 pm. I’ll monitor what I feel/effects. 

[Sunnyhope]

Hi again @Kiasofia and @Altostrata

 

First of all: happy new year! 

You gave me some homework and here’s the answers.  (Sorry, It’s been a month,  I’ve been struggling ).

 

Short recap:
In horrible WD (or suffering adverse effect) after quitting Lexapro (feb - may 2021). 

 

I reinstated the wrong drug - 1.7 mg paxil - in panic in October  (I hadn’t gotten the advice from this site then).

 

When I reached out to you I was close to 5 weeks on paxil. I wanted to hear about options to maybe quit Paxil right away  or shift to something else because of weight gain/no metabolism from Paxil. 
 

You told me that since I already had  taken the Paxil, the advice was not to risk too much changes. I was advised  to taper by 10 percent and see what happened. 
 

Nov 30: I tapered from 1.7 mg to 1.5

-  I haven’t noticed any additional wd symptoms from this tapering

 

I take the Paxil at 6 pm. 
- I haven’t noticed any immediate difference in my symptoms in the hours before or after I take the Paxil. 
 

Possible benefits from Paxil

- I sleep better, maybe even much better, after starting Paxil. Before I woke up at 04-05 am. Now I often wake up at 6-7 and sometimes manage to go back to sleep to 08-0830. 

 

My husband also says I’m calmer, that I was much more crazy before. 

 

I was unsure if the improved sleep was from Paxil or if it would have happened anyway. But hypersomnia being a side effect I had while on Paxil I think it’s from the Paxil. (Or from reinstating an AD in general) 

 

BAD side effects from Paxil

The paxil nightmare is back!

 

Over night I went from having a perfect metabolism to having no metabolism. I gain weight even though I hardly eat, which means I’m now hungry all day (yet feeling full) and eating only a third of what I ate before. This had brought me additional stress to the WD. 
 

I’ll post some more answers in my next post (daily notes) 

 

Thanks again!

 

 

[Kiasofia]

Godt nyttår @Sunnyhope

Thank you for updating us. I'm sorry you've been struggling. But it is good that you are getting sleep and that you are calmer. Rapid weight gain is a possible side effect of nifedipine. When did you start taking that?

[Sunnyhope]

Happy 2022 @Altostrataand @Kiasofia  

 

Ref last post:)
I’ve done so many mistakes in this AD journey. I know my suffering is many times worse than needed , if I’d done the right things. 
 

This is tormenting me 24/7 - extreme regret ocd/anxiety/. 
 

This regret has kept me from effectively getting answers too, because I’m afraid of the answer. (Like: oh that would have taken the symptoms away, but now it’s too late). 
 

Now I want to minimise my suffering as much as possible and get my life back. 
 

1). Citalopram?
 

On 11/30/2021 at 11:52 PM, Sunnyhope said:

 

On 11/30/2021 at 10:32 PM, Altostrata said:

Why don't you go back to 5mg Lexapro, or 5mg citalopram, Lexapro's milder sibling?

 

I can't quite follow why it is your doctor cannot handle this?

After quitting Lexapro/ (ending with 4-7 days on citalopram, ) my teeth/jaw symptoms and the numbness persisted and also got worse, so I became really afraid of Lexapro.  

 

But if that was because of a too strong dosage…
 

Is it possible to go back as you suggest, on citalopram for example?

Is this an option?

 

-   I’m quite certain that the extreme numbness I have all over and inside my body and the swollen brain is from Lexapro withdrawal.  Could reinstating help?

- The motor dysfunction of the teeth started while I was on lexapro so this scares me. It has gotten worse since quitting. 
 

I see a lot of lexapro adverse effects- sufferers on this forum having the exact same symptoms as I.  What is the suggestion?

 

2). Prozac?

 

- I was on 5 mg prozac from 2014-2021, before started Lexapro. (Cold switch)  Maybe some of my bad symptoms while on lexapro was actually WD from prozac and not adverse effects? 

 

Could reinstating Prozac help? 

 

Is it possible  to do a prozac bridge and taper from there.  (1.5 mg paxil to 1.5 mg prozac) 

 

Pros

- I’ve done it successfully  before when quitting paxil in 2014 (cross tapered at 40 mg)

-I once ran out of Paxil while abroad and substituted it with Prozac from one day to another. Used it for two months without any big problems.   (Changed back when I returned home as i thougt Paxil worked better though .)

- Quitting Paxil and it’s weight gain side effects will do a great deal mentality (unless worse things happens) 

Cons
- I’m in WD. Maybe I react differently now

- I’ve reinstated Paxil 2 months ago. 
- I didn’t feel 5 mg Prozac did much for my ocd and anxiety so maybe it’s not strong enough to help with the wd mess I’m in. 
- my insomnia has improved on Paxil. It may come back , maybe even worse?

 

 

Thank you for helping me!

 

 

 

 

[Sunnyhope]

1 hour ago, Kiasofia said:

Rapid weight gain is a possible side effect of nifedipine. When did you start taking that?

Hi again. I can promise you that the weight gain is not from nifedipine. I’ve taken it since 2003. 
 

Its Paxil for sure, and the main problem is not only the weight,  but that my metabolism is dead. It takes away my “drive and energy” - it’s like a bodily Anhedonia. I don’t feel the satisfaction from having the meals processed and the energy that follows , it feels flat. I don’t get hungry in a satisfying way, I feel it as a hunger in my head/ the headache you get when you haven’t eaten in a long time. I mostly feel full and bloated and dissatisfied, despite eating little and super healthy.  
 

 All those years on Paxil I hated this feeling and being overweight in spite of eating low carb 1000-1200 kcal a day. (This problem snuck up on me, it got worse after stopping and then starting again three years later due to pregnancies. In the beginning I was even unsure if Paxil was the culprit as the doctor said it only causes weight gain because of increased appetite  that lead you to eat more. That was not the case for me. ) 

I’ve  been eating well  (eat all I want with no concerns and still keeping the weight since 2019 when my metabolism was totally restored after the Paxil use (with the help of a hormone doctor )  and partly like that since quitting Paxil in 2014. (Still had to restrict portions and avoid carbs etc up to 2019)

 

This time the metabolism thing happened over night. I was at the hospital then. Been there for 6 weeks or so.  The whole time the meals were the only thing that gave me 5 minutes relief. I ate proper portions 4 times a day and also I had butter (dairy free)  aioli or sauce. I felt the same good energy in my metabolism as the last years. 
 

One day I woke up and had this odd feeling. I commented it to the nurse. I feel so full, I can hardly eat. It was uncomfortable and felt “dead” in my stomach. I skipped lunch for the first time in the hospital , still I was not hungry for dinner. After dinner I had to skip the evening meal. Still didn’t get hungry. Its been like this since and even though I eat much less a day  it doesn’t  get better. I haven’t weighed myself, but my jeans are tight and uncomfortable around the waist and I can see my stomach is bigger.  It’s like the storing of fat has changed. 

 

 I went to cognitive therapy for ocd in 2017. After 10 sessions or so the therapist thought suggested I find a psychiatrist and get on meds (that worked better than the Prozac I was on) since I didn’t get better compared to his other clients. (It was probably WD -induced ocd) I refused as I was still feeling the terrible restrictions from a bad metabolism and I wouldn’t risk it. 

I think part of  the bad decisions of starting  Lexapro may have been that my metabolism problem was finally over. I ate everything I wanted  and forgot how terrible it had been. Thus, I forgot to be scared of ADs ( not knowing what I know now - that the so-called side effects are no different than the so-called effects, it’s all about disruption) 

 

The numbness in  ALL parts of my body,the terrible motor dysfunction, the swollen brain/head pressure, the inability to feel some feelings,  the extreme anxiety, the horrific ocd, the insomnia (that got better after paxil), the mourning that this happened are still my biggest problems. 

 

So I have bigger problems in my WD than weight, still this has made it so much worse. I think it’s re traumatising. I was so happy this was over. 

Sorry for the long post, I needed to vent. 

[Kiasofia]

Any change will have risks, so you need to decide if it is worth it. It is understandable that you want to get off paxil, and many need to switch from paxil to prozac or citalopram to taper off completely, since paxil is so hard to quit. So at some point you may want to do this bridge anyway. At low doses the chance of an adverse reaction is low, but it is not possible to predict if switching will improve or worsen your situation. Whether citalopram or prozac is the better option is also hard to say. I know this is frustrating and I wish I could give a definite answer.

 

 

[Sunnyhope]

Thank you Kiasofia:). 

Og godt nyttår! 
 

I had a feeling this would be the answer!  I don’t think I will do any changes right away,  too scared,  but yes, it’s frustrating. 
 

I benefit from sleeping a little better on Paxil so that’s good, but I can’t help to think that Prozac or citalopram would have done that too. 
 

Not to mention if I had cross switched back to Prozac in stead of the quick taper due to unbearable  side effects on Lexapro. Then all this suffering may not have happened.
 

 If the lexapro just didn’t work or gave me more anxiety,  I would have gone back to Prozac without even giving it a thought, the natural thing to do. I must have been shocked by the severity of the symptoms since I stopped it without considering there might be WD afterwards . I honestly can’t figure out why I didn’t discuss this with my doctor. I just quit and monitored the persistent symptoms, hoping they would subside. 4 months later the WD really hit with the scary numbness and more. Then I was too afraid to do a proper research. I could literally feel the brain damage.