Scaredsusie

[scaredsusie]

Paxil withdrawal hell

 

Hi. I'm new to this forum, but I have been searching and searching trying to find what is wrong with me. I was put on zoloft in 1998 for slight post partum depression and was moving half way across the world and the dr felt I may need a little help. I was on it for 3 years and then I had a traumatic event happen and it wasn't helping too much anymore, so I got switched to Fluoxetine 20mg. I was doing great on that and yet went through some rough times, like a divorce and left to raise my children alone and a strenuous job, but was a very strong tough woman. I believe it really helped me and I stayed on until oct last year. This is when I woke in the middle of the night having my first ever panic attack, and yet my life was finally settled and very happy. It came out of nowhere. I went to my dr and he said it was an old med and had stopped working. He gave me xanax and switched me to lexapro. I got so scared of switching my med and this one I really liked not working anymore and I had another panic attack after taking my first dose of lexapro. So dr switched me to paxil 20mg. I felt anxiety gone within a couple of days but I couldn't sleep for 2 weeks and had brain zaps. I went down to 10mg and was doing good. I also made an appointment with a psychologist. After 2 1/2 months I saw the new dr and she didn't like paxil so weaned me down to 5mg and then off in 2 weeks. Tried the lexapro and after 3 days got derealization and so got switched to zoloft. After 6 days I was scared to death and stopped that. 5 days later I went back to my pdoc crying and still with derealization. She reinstated 5mg of paxil and told me to use my xanax. I didn't want to use xanax. After 5 days of the reinstated paxil I was beyond crazy with anxiety. I couldn't stand still, I couldn't stop crying, I wanted to scream and scream and started having suicidal thoughts out of desperation. Used a few .25mg xanax. She stopped the paxil and started me on Buspar 7.5 2X a day. I am 5 weeks post paxil now and it's hardly getting better. Full of anxiety, can't sleep, can't stop the racing thoughts, can't focus at all and worse I can't see properly. Dr now wants to say I'm bipolar maybe. I've never had anything like this in my life. I feel I'm losing everything. I feel I will lose my job, my children. What is happening to me?

 

Zoloft 1998-2001

Fluoxetine 2001-2013

Lexapro 2013 1day

Paxil oct 2013-feb 3rd

Lexapro 3 days

Zoloft 6 days

Paxil 6 days

Buspar now 15 days

[lundeliz]

Welcome, scaredsusie. I'm so sorry for all you are going through. Please hang on

 

for comments about your situation from some very knowledgable people here. I just

 

wanted you to know your post will be seen. Please know that things will get

 

better. Yes, it's a rough ride, but you will get some great info and suggestions

 

from members here. You will get through it!

[scaredsusie]

Thank you lundeliz

[dalsaan]

Hi Susie

 

That's a rough ride you've been on. Your nervous system will have been shaken up through that. Try and keep that in mind as the source of your thoughts and anxiety. I wouldn't be buying into any new diagnosis. Your drug history is enough to explain your symptoms.

 

I'm not confident to make a recommendation either but someone with more experience will. Usually we say pick a drug/dose, allow your body some time to calm down and then develop a plan from there. Which drug, which dose I'm not sure

 

You are a strong woman. I can see that.

 

Take care

 

Dalsaan

[Petunia]

Hi Susie,

I'm so sorry you are going through this, most definitely your symptoms could be caused by all the drug changes you have been through.  If it were me, I wouldn't believe a new diagnosis for one second.  My guess is that the suggested diagnosis of bi-polar is to enable the prescribing of another class of drugs next, the anti-psychotics.

 

From reading through your post, it seems that the last medication which you were somewhat stable on was Paxil at 10mg?  Perhaps reinstating a small amount of that would relieve some of your current symptoms, maybe 1mg would be enough.  If that worked, then you could stabilize on that amount for a while and then begin a very slow taper from that.

 

Please wait for conformation or other suggestions from Alto or others with more experience before making a decision, you have been through a lot and your nervous system is probably very sensitive to any changes at the moment, it may be better to just keep holding where you are.

 

Do you feel like the buspar is helping at all?

 

Hang in there, we will help you get through this, it may take a while though.

 

Petu.

[NewMe]

Hi Susie -

 

Happened to me after post partum w second child.

 

Have you had your hormone levels checked to see where you are in perimenopause? It can start as young as your 30s.

 

I was on Buspar yrs ago and it worked well for me. Took some time to adjust as I took it,

 

If you are able to, find out your hormone levels and ask for a full thyroid panel as well as d3 levels.

 

Your CNS has been through a hell of a shakedown w the meds. 

You sure are a strong lady. I have been through  divorce after 20 yrs w 2 kids as well - you can do this. Hold on and know you can survive this. 

[tezza]

Hi Ss,

 

I'm sorry you've been through all that, you really are strong and you will get through this. I agree with Petu, a small amount of Paxil is worth trying. When you've been taken off drugs and new ones added, your CNS goes through the wringer but it will heal.

 

It does take Buspar some time to begin working well from what I've read but I don't think it will quell the Paxil WDs. There is really nothing that will stop WDs unless reinstating a small amount helps you stabilize.

 

Hoping you feel better soon!

 

The Buspar may help cushion the WDs but it won't stop them.

[scaredsusie]

Thanks guys. It's so hard, I can't describe what I'm feeling sometimes, and it's hard to explain to my drs. I can't focus long distance, I can't focus when I'm looking at someone talking, my brain just doesn't shut off and I just feel like I'm going crazy. That's the only way to describe it. I've had a couple of somewhat normal days but that's it. I can't function like this and everyday fighting this is getting harder, not easier. I don't think the buspar is doing anything but how can I really tell. I'm so scared of the paxil as 5mg seem to intensify to suicide thoughts and beyond anxiety. But I have to do something. How would I get smaller amounts than 5mg? Thank you for listening guys, I feel so alone. I don't even want to see my drs

[scaredsusie]

Now my dr wants to add fluoxetine back, saying the long half life will help withdrawal and it's only been 4 months since taking it as she says I should have responded to the 5 mg of paxil if it was this "so called" discontinuation. Ugh. Help please

[scaredsusie]

Update, went to my psycologist today. She was very nice, but has no experience with treating discontinuation. She believes in it but tapers people slowly she says, that no one has had issues. She believes I have to get stable on something and taper from there, but she didn't agree with my other dr on the dose. She said less so started me on 10mg fluoxetine. Please please pray for me. I can't keep waking up to this

[Rhiannon]

Thanks guys. It's so hard, I can't describe what I'm feeling sometimes, and it's hard to explain to my drs. I can't focus long distance, I can't focus when I'm looking at someone talking, my brain just doesn't shut off and I just feel like I'm going crazy. That's the only way to describe it. I've had a couple of somewhat normal days but that's it. I can't function like this and everyday fighting this is getting harder, not easier. I don't think the buspar is doing anything but how can I really tell. I'm so scared of the paxil as 5mg seem to intensify to suicide thoughts and beyond anxiety. But I have to do something. How would I get smaller amounts than 5mg? Thank you for listening guys, I feel so alone. I don't even want to see my drs

 

All of the symptoms you are describing are absolutely typical and predictable and exactly what I would expect to see with someone with your history.

 

It seems to me you have two problems: One, the initial withdrawal from being CT'd off the fluoxetine, and two, the biochemical chaos and destabilization from your brain being jerked around on and off so many other meds in such a short period of time, which would have just exacerbated what it was already going through from falling off the cliff and smashing to the ground from being yanked off fluoxetine. 

 

I think your best bet at this point is a small reinstatement of either fluoxetine or Paxil. Since your doctor already wants you back on the fluoxetine, maybe that's the best bet. I would like to hear what Alto has to say, though, she's much more expert on the various ADs than I am.

 

I think it would be good to try less than 10 mg. Can you try 5 mg? It's available in pediatric doses and also in a liquid, I believe.  Often after a discontinuation like this and the kind of craziness you've just been through, people are overly sensitive to higher doses and do better with smaller reinstatements. Even 2.5 mg might give you relief.

 

See if your doctor is willing to let you restart on a lower dose. Regardless, once you decide on a dose (which you need to do fairly soon), what your CNS needs now is chemical stability, no more changes for a while. Take the same drugs the same times every day. Stay away from the Xanax, that stuff is just trouble leading to more trouble, unless you take it no more than once a week.

 

It's going to take some time, probably months, before you'll really stabilize, so don't expect instant results, but if a bit of fluoxetine does help you feel better that's a good sign.

 

Once you get stabilized and you're feeling better, you can begin a slow taper, as described under the Tapering section of this forum.

 

Good luck to you!

 

And I don't know what part of Oregon you're in, but out here in the Columbia Gorge we're enjoying beautiful, sunny weather. Hope you are too.

[scaredsusie]

Thank you for responding guys. I know you have so much knowledge that can help me. I will try and start fish oil too

[Altostrata]

Welcome, Scaredsusie.

 

Now my dr wants to add fluoxetine back, saying the long half life will help withdrawal and it's only been 4 months since taking it as she says I should have responded to the 5 mg of paxil if it was this "so called" discontinuation. Ugh. Help please

Your doctor is wrong. It sounds very much to me like you have antidepressant withdrawal syndrome and not bipolar disorder. (I wouldn't expect much sense from her but she did suspect withdrawal syndrome, so points to her for that.)

 

However, going on Prozac at this point might work. I would try 5mg first for a week before going up to 10mg. It may take some weeks for this to reduce the neurological chaos, so give it a chance.

 

The reason I'd go with Prozac is, once you stabilize on it, it's easier to go off than Paxil. See http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/759-tips-for-tapering-off-prozac-fluoxetine/

 

Please keep in touch and let us know how you're doing.

[scaredsusie]

Thank you so much for helping me Altostrata. It gives me some hope. I've never been more scared.

[Altostrata]

I hope this works for you, Scared. Doctors think they can switch people on and off these drugs and nothing happens, but that can upset the nervous system and unpredictable things occur.

[scaredsusie]

Could the prozac really have made a significant improvement in my symptoms already?

[scaredsusie]

I'm starting to get dizzy though. Still can't sleep, which I think is the buspar she is keeping me on too. Should I try to come off the buspar yet. It's been 17 days on it

[Petunia]

Dizziness is a common side effect of buspar, it seems to be worse with higher doses, what dose are you on?  We generally don't recommend coming off more than one drug at a time and as you are still adjusting to Prozac, its not a good idea to stop taking the buspar.  Although you probably don't need to be on both Prozac and Buspar.  Not that most people need to be on all these drugs anyway.

 

Please would you put your drug and withdrawal history in your signature, it helps members to easily see your situation why replying to posts.  Instructions for how to do that are here:

 

http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/893-please-put-your-withdrawal-history-in-your-signature/

 

If prozac is making you feel better already, then you were having withdrawal symptoms and it has stopped them.

[scaredsusie]

Thanks Petu, and I will work on my signature. Thank you for telling me how.

 

Well I spoke too soon. Yesterday I felt almost myself and 3/4 of today and then boom the anxiety started and the dizziness and the vision issues again. I really thought maybe I was getting better.

[Petunia]

It may take a while for you to stabilize properly, the fact that you felt well for a while, means that its probably going to work, it could take a few weeks, up to perhaps 2 months for you to feel really well again.  If it were me, I would give it several weeks at 5mg, see how you do.

 

Recovery and stabilization tends to happen in a pattern of feeling a little better, then feeling worse, then better again, with the better times slowly increasing.  Here is a topic which explains how recovery often happens:

 

http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/82-the-windows-and-waves-pattern-of-recovery/

[tezza]

It sounds like you're on the mend so try not to get discouraged when you don't feel as well as you did. The fact that you had a good window so soon is a really good sign.

 

Somehow, I missed the history of fluoxetine, I apologize.

[scaredsusie]

Thanks Petu and tezza. I'm actually taking 10mg because my dr can only get capsules with my insurance and that's the lowest they come. I had the worst anxiety about 5am this morning and the racing craziness, and I just kept trying to get through it. I'm just not able to sleep and it's awful. Then my vertigo hit. I haven't had that in 2 years or so. I think it's the buspar. Just don't know what to do. Feel better after getting up a little bit.

[Altostrata]

How long have you been taking the buspar?

 

If it's too much Prozac that causing those symptoms, you can divide the Prozac or make a liquid from it, see http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/759-tips-for-tapering-off-prozac-fluoxetine/

[scaredsusie]

Been taking the buspar 18th day today. Had a little dizziness 30 mins after taking it but nothing too bad. Laying there this morning, vertigo hit. Could it be start up of prozac and taking buspar?

[scaredsusie]

I need to sleep. It's been over 5 weeks now of none unless I take benadryl and crazy anxiety all night

[Altostrata]

Has the Buspar helped at all?

 

It could be causing the vertigo.

 

You might try cutting the Buspar by half and see if that helps.

 

Please keep notes on paper of when you take your drugs, the dosages, and symptoms patterns daily. This will help figure out what's causing what.

[Rhiannon]

Been taking the buspar 18th day today. Had a little dizziness 30 mins after taking it but nothing too bad. Laying there this morning, vertigo hit. Could it be start up of prozac and taking buspar?

 

I always got a lot of dizziness from Buspar, especially on higher doses.

 

The fact that you felt some relief at first when you took the fluoxetine is a good sign that you'll be able to stabilize on it, yay! It's quite typical for people to have initial improvement on reinstatement and then be wobbly with bad days and better days for a while, so don't worry about that. I do think it might be good to try reducing your dose though, the full 10 mg might be too activating now.

[scaredsusie]

Alto I have been taking 7.5mg buspar at 8am ish and was taking another 7.5mg before bed, but the dr told me to move it up to 3pm to see if it helped the sleep. Then 10mg prozac at 11am. I had an awful night full of anxiety, felt better after I got up and did somewhat okay until about 130pm. I am super depressed and full of anxiety since. Thinking I'm going to get locked in a psych ward and never get better. I've been crying and crying. So confused

[Petunia]

I think you may be on a too high dosage of Prozac, if you have become sensitized, then it could be causing a lot of the side effects.  I also think that the buspar isn't doing anything 'helpful' for you, but just causing more side effects, perhaps reducing that too as Alto suggested might ease some of the dizziness.

 

When I was first struggling in withdrawal (before I found this site and knew what was going on), I took buspar, trying to find relief, but all it did for me was cause dizziness for 1 - 2 hours after I took it.  I had taken it years before for anxiety, somewhat successfully, I was in a stressful situation and it took the edge off, I was also taking lexapro at the time, but that was no longer working.  But taking buspar once I was already into withdrawal, did nothing helpful.

[scaredsusie]

Should I try reducing the buspar first? Would it be too much to do both at the same time? Unfortunately I just can't tell if the buspar was taking the edge of or not. After a crying fit this afternoon, I started to do better again. I went for a walk and usually they help me but tonight my chest was tight from anxiety.

[scaredsusie]

After my walk I got home and did good. Even during the night. Didn't sleep great but not full of anxiety either. Now I'm waiting for another wave. These windows are so nice and give me hope, the waves scare me to pieces. My dr wants me to take it to the compound pharmacy if I'm going to do it, so have to take 10mg until Monday. I will cut the buspar in half today if you guys thinks that's okay. Will I have to taper off buspar if I've only been on it 3 weeks

[Altostrata]

Alto I have been taking 7.5mg buspar at 8am ish and was taking another 7.5mg before bed, but the dr told me to move it up to 3pm to see if it helped the sleep. Then 10mg prozac at 11am. I had an awful night full of anxiety, felt better after I got up and did somewhat okay until about 130pm. I am super depressed and full of anxiety since. Thinking I'm going to get locked in a psych ward and never get better. I've been crying and crying. So confused

ScaredSusie, exactly when are you taking your drugs and how much?

 

What is your daily symptom pattern?

 

After my walk I got home and did good. Even during the night. Didn't sleep great but not full of anxiety either. Now I'm waiting for another wave. These windows are so nice and give me hope, the waves scare me to pieces. My dr wants me to take it to the compound pharmacy if I'm going to do it, so have to take 10mg until Monday. I will cut the buspar in half today if you guys thinks that's okay. Will I have to taper off buspar if I've only been on it 3 weeks

What are you getting from the compounding pharmacy?

 

Yes, if I were you, I'd reduce the Buspar by half and see if that helps your symptoms.

[scaredsusie]

Alto, if I want to only take 5mg of prozac dr said to do the compound way. There is no real pattern to my symptoms. They just come and go.

[scaredsusie]

I'm concerned with stopping the buspar if I stay on it much longer. I think that could be causing a lot of the insomnia too but can't be totally sure

[Altostrata]

Please keep notes on paper about your symptoms and when you take your drugs. This is important.

 

Prozac comes in a liquid, you can order it from a regular pharmacy. It may be less expensive than a compounded prescription.

 

....

 

Yes, if I were you, I'd reduce the Buspar by half and see if that helps your symptoms.

[scaredsusie]

No sleep again last night. Started the half buspar yesterday. Take it at 830am and 3pm. Lots of anxiety in the night too. I don't know that cutting down the buspar caused that but how do you know. I know when I started taking it almost 3 weeks ago is when the insomnia hit the hardest. I'll take 1/2 again today. Got DP back yesterday too which I hadn't had in about a week. This all sucks.