Phillystkitts Need help(3 different drugs) advice please

[Phillystkitts]

Hello,

 

I was referred to this site by another member. I have been told of their withdrawal and I am thinking that mine is going to be similar. Not quite sure what to expect.

 

Brief history : I have been on Paxil 30mg for 12years , and a sleeping pill every night for 9 years(I know) and lorazepam 0.5mg when needed.

 

How do I go about my tapering, which one goes first, I don't really know what to do. I am 58 years old.

 

Please help !

[chicken]

Hi Philly,

Welcome to the forum. I am somewhat new here myself.

I'm not in a position to tell you what to do but I believe, the correct one to wean first is the antidepressant.

 

I'm sure Alto and some of the mods will come though soon and give you better advice.

[chicken]

Philly,

Until a mod can respond you may wish to check out this section of the board.

 

http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/2207-taking-multiple-psych-drugs-taper-the-antidepressant-first/

[Petunia]

Hi Phillystkitts,

 

Welcome to SA and thank you for posting an introduction.  Chicken was right that we usually suggest tapering an antidepressant before other more sedating drugs, if you read the link she posted, you will understand why.

 

Are you experiencing any symptoms or side effects at the moment?

 

How often do you take lorazepam?  If you take it more often than once or twice a week, you may have developed a dependency and that will need to be tapered also.

 

We recommend a risk reduction method of tapering, this is to minimize the chance of experiencing disruptive withdrawal symptoms so that you can still function in your life while coming off medications.  This method suggests reducing by 10% of your current dose every 4 weeks.

 

Please see our tips for tapering off Paxil here:

 

http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/405-tips-for-tapering-off-paxil-paroxetine/

 

Please would you list your drugs and any tapering or withdrawal history in your signature, it helps members to understand your situation when replying to your posts, instructions are here:

 

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

 

I'm glad that we were recommended, you will find a lot of friendly help and support here.

 

Petu.

 

 

 

 

[Phillystkitts]

Thank you chicken and Petu. I have so many questions about this journey. I will figure out this signature and complete that. I am probably Dependant to the lorazepam as I take it 2-3times a week. Is the paxil available in liquid form? Also I took all these pills in the first place because of a incident at work. I believe the medication has pooped out because I feel like my concentration is gone and I have a quick trigger if irritated. I never knew about withdrawal or anything, so unaware.

 

My problem is that I retire in two years and I don't know if I should start tapering now because what I have heard or wait two years and taper? This is going to be hell, I can feel it. So am I better to wait until the time is right? I have to be able to function on my job.

 

I think I am in a lot of trouble. Does this withdrawal hit everyone? Can I go down 5% every month just to be safe? also I heard that sleeping pills are very dangerous so how would I go about tapering off them?

 

 

Thanks

[Rhiannon]

First: You are not in a lot of trouble. The withdrawal stories that you hear here are from people who either quit their meds without tapering at all, or had "tapers" that were much too fast. If you taper slowly (and there's nothing wrong with 5% cuts, a lot of us do that, at your age and after 30 years on Paxil that's probably what you'll need to do sometimes) you will be able to manage the withdrawal symptoms just fine and function just fine at work. You probably will have moments or days when you don't feel your best, but it will be manageable.

 

You can taper off sleeping meds same way you'd taper off anything else, just reduce your dose bit by bit.

 

I'm concerned about the lorazepam use. If you're taking it 2-3 times a week you may be getting rebound symptoms in between doses. (It's like mini-withdrawals in between doses, because your brain is confused since blood levels of the drug are bouncing up and down.) Do you feel like you get spells of anxiety or distress out of the blue on days you haven't taken any?

 

You might be doing okay with it though. It's just something to explore and be aware of.

 

At this point you don't need to make the decision to start your taper now or not. Right now just read the materials in the Tapering section (the stuff pinned at the top) and learn about your options. I think yes, Paxil does come in a liquid form, and you can also make your own liquid if you need to.

 

I've found with my own Celexa taper at about the same age as you, I'm so grateful that I did it. Even if I never get all the way off, being down to such a low dose has made a huge difference. I can connect with other people in a way that I had forgotten even existed. I have a much fuller range of emotion. I can weep again (which is a wonderful thing). I sometimes feel moments of the kind of depth and creativity that I vaguely remember having back in my 20s before I started the psych drug trip. And the taper hasn't been bad at all. I've been tapering multiple meds and sometimes I've pushed it too fast, which doesn't feel great, but overall the Celexa hasn't been that hard to come off as I have done it extremely slowly.

 

I think you will do fine if you take your time to learn how to taper and then take the taper itself slowly. And you will be very glad you did, whenever you decide to do it, now or later.