buchacats2: cross taper from Paxil to Prozac was going fine until it wasn't

[buchacats2]

hello, this is my first time posting. I have read some of the forums on here but I still am having difficulty on how to proceed. 
 

I was on Paxil 40mg for 7 years. I hate it. I cross tapered onto prozac 40 over 9 days. I was stupid and tried to reduce the Prozac’s dose a couple days as well. The withdrawal is so bad now I can barely get up and I haven’t eaten much of anything in days. These are the same symptoms I felt from stopped Paxil before; intense nausea, headache, vertigo, lethargy, brain zaps, depressed. I can’t function at all. 
 

today and yesterday I’ve taken 40mg prozac. 

I’m going to call the psychiatrist on Monday but honestly they have no clue about anything related to withdrawal and never give me guidance. I have very little faith in them being able to help me. Does anyone know if this is just from stopping Paxil? Or starting prozac? Does being on another ssri not stop the withdrawal from another?

 

 I’ve tried withdrawal from Paxil on its own and it’s just impossible. I have no idea what to do at this point. If the United States had free healthcare I would go to the hospital but it doesn’t so I’m not doing that. I’m not sure how much they could even do.

[getofflex]

Hello, and welcome to SA.  We are a volunteer-run community of people who have been or are getting off of psychiatric drugs.  How long have you been taking the Prozac, just the past 11 or 12 days?  Why did you bridge from Paxil to Prozac?  

 

Can you please give us very specific information about how you have been doing the cross taper?  Please list the information like this, for each time you changed the dose, or went on the drug, or went off the drug:  

 

Drug name: date, dose, date, dose, date, dose…

Drug name: date, dose, date, dose, date, dose…

Etcetera

 

Please read the link below for instructions.  This will allow us to give you the best guidance.  

 

How to List Drug History in Signature

 

 

It sounds like you are either in withdrawal from quitting the Paxil, or having an adverse reaction to the Prozac, or both.  This helps you understand what withdrawal syndrome is: 

 

Video on Recovery from Psych Drugs

 

Windows and Waves Pattern of Stabilization

 

 

Here is a link with checklists of common WD symptoms: 

 

Dr Joseph Glenmullen Withdrawal Symptom Checklists

 

 

Here are some techniques to cope with symptoms: 

 

Non Drug Ways to Cope with Withdrawal Symptoms

 

Stability is really important when we are tapering off psych meds.  Please read the link about stability:

 

Keep It Simple, Slow, and Stable

 

 

We don't suggest many supplements, but 2 that many of us find helpful are magnesium and omega-3 fish oil. Here are the links for info about those. It is suggested to add one at a time, and start with a low dose to see how it affects you. 

Magnesium

Omega 3 Fish Oil

 

When we know more information, we will be able to give you some ideas about how to address this.  Please keep in touch. 

[buchacats2]

Hi, bare with me as I am not in a good state and never used this forum before. 
 

august 2016: started Paxil, titrated up to 40mg

 

may 2017: tried to stop mostly cold Turkey and went into severe withdrawal. Got back on meds a few weeks later. 

july 2022: tried to lower Paxil 5-10mg, got harsh withdrawal. Started cross taper to minimize withdrawal symptoms & bridge out of SSRIs. Started on july 6th. Felt mostly fine for 9 days. Within 9 days, stopped taking Paxil. Symptoms began shortly after. 
 

I also take Wellbutrin & adderall for my adhd. I know this is the Paxil though. I’m actually wondering if it causes vestibular migraines for me. I’m not officially diagnosed, but, I get moderate migraines with nausea. Started happening after I took this ssri I think. When I’m in withdrawal the migraine is severe. It has all the same symptoms of a vestibular migraine. Excedrin does help a little. 
 

this is clearly the Paxil but I’m also wondering if the Prozac’s hasn’t kicked in yet. I’m going onto prozac as a bridge out of SSRIs. Once I stabilize on that I was planning on titrating off. The transition from Paxil to prozac has been really bad when I dropped the Paxil completely. I’ve taken a couple chips of Paxil for the past couple days and I don’t know how much it helped. They were probably under 10mg. 
 

I do not want to go back on Paxil. I’ve been taking prozac so I don’t know if that even would be a good idea. My psychiatrist doesn’t call me back, but I’m not at all surprised. 

 

 

[getofflex]

I agree - I believe you are experiencing withdrawal symptoms from going off Paxil.  

 

Thank you for telling more about your Paxil usage.  We will need to know more about your Adderall, and Wellbutrin, such as when you started it, the dates of each dose change, and what dose you are on now.  It would really help us help you, if you could post your drug history in this format: 

 

Drug name: date, dose, date, dose, date, dose…

Drug name: date, dose, date, dose, date, dose…

 

On 7/26/2022 at 12:28 PM, buchacats2 said:

this is clearly the Paxil but I’m also wondering if the Prozac’s hasn’t kicked in yet.

This is a distinct possibility.  

 

On 7/26/2022 at 12:28 PM, buchacats2 said:

I do not want to go back on Paxil. I’ve been taking prozac so I don’t know if that even would be a good idea

 

I can certainly understand why you don't want to go back on Paxil.  

 

There are basically 2 options withdrawal from psych meds: 

 

1) try a very small reinstatement, or

 

2) tough it out, and use non drug coping techniques to deal with the symptoms.  

 

You said you hated being on Paxil.  Can you please go into detail about this?  What specific symptoms did you have while you were on the Paxil?  

[buchacats2]

Paxil - Aug ‘16 20mg, ‘16-‘17 40mg, Jul ‘22 0mg 

 

Wellbutrin - Aug ‘18 150mg, ‘18-‘19 300mg, Jul ‘22 300mg

 

Adderall - ‘22 5mg-60mg, Jul ‘22 60mg

 

Paxil makes me constantly tired. I have adhd but it made it even worse. No focus, no motivation. Before I was put on Wellbutrin I couldn’t get through the day without a nap. It’s also impossible to discontinue because of the withdrawal and migraines I get from it. Just recently did it click in my head that all the “health issues” I’ve been having are just side effects from Paxil. I also think that it actively counteracts the adderall, hence why I am on such a high dose. 
 

as for withdrawal, it feels exactly like a vestibular migraine. The only things that help are motion sickness medicine and taking the adderall. I was having chronic migraines before I was started on that and I don’t anymore. I think it’s because it’s a vasoconstrictor. 

[getofflex]

On 7/23/2022 at 10:07 AM, buchacats2 said:

I cross tapered onto prozac 40 over 9 days. I was stupid and tried to reduce the Prozac’s dose a couple days as well.

 

On 7/23/2022 at 10:07 AM, buchacats2 said:

today and yesterday I’ve taken 40mg prozac. 

Are you still on the Prozac? Is the dose currently 40 mg?  Please don't vary your doses of prozac, or skip doses.  

 

 

On 7/26/2022 at 12:28 PM, buchacats2 said:

I’ve taken a couple chips of Paxil for the past couple days and I don’t know how much it helped. They were probably under 10mg. 
 

I wouldn't do this if I were you.  It is confusing to the brain.  If you were to reinstate some Paxil, you need to take a precise dose of it each and every day.  

 

 

[Altostrata]

Welcome, @buchacats2

 

On 7/26/2022 at 10:28 AM, buchacats2 said:

july 2022: tried to lower Paxil 5-10mg, got harsh withdrawal. Started cross taper to minimize withdrawal symptoms & bridge out of SSRIs. Started on july 6th. Felt mostly fine for 9 days. Within 9 days, stopped taking Paxil. Symptoms began shortly after. 

 

It sounds like you made a lot of drug changes in a short time, including substituting Prozac for Paxil. You were already destabilized, this is not an optimal scenario for a drug crossover.

 

You went on Prozac in mid-July? How did you make this switch? Please add the date you switched to Prozac to your signature.

 

Please put ALL your drugs in this Interactions Checker and post the report or a link to it in this topic.