samone: Cancer survivor trying to taper off Paxil and Klonopin

[samone]

Hi everyone,

 

I just joined so I think my account is still being approved... My history is below.  I am trying to get off both Paxil and Klonopin.

 

Basically I find that Paxil relaxes me not stimulates me... so my pdoc suggested the benzo taper first.  Has anyone else found that to be the case for them?

 

Also, she wants me to taper 25% a month on the Klonopin (I think 10%) is better.  Your thoughts?

 

Lastly, she also wanted me to updose my Paxil from 20mg to 30mg since she thinks that will help with my Klonopin taper.

 

Three days ago, I started my updose on Paxil -- and now by reading the postings on your site and paxilprogess, I think that was a big mistake. Can I just cut the 10mg since I've only updosed for 3 days on Paxil -- or do I need to taper from 30mg to 20mg?  Suggestions?

 

Also can I taper both at the same time or do I do one and then the other.  If I do one and then the other, how long should I wait to stabilize before I can taper the other?

 

I appreciate your comments in advance.

 

Best,

Samone

 

 

--

HISTORY

1989-2012 Self Medicated with Marijuana

10/12 Ovarian Cancer Surgery and quite MJ C/T

12/12-4/13 Chemo

12/12 started 10mg Paxil

12/12 started 1mg Klonopin

3/13 20mg Paxil

3/13 2mg Klonopin

6/13, 1/14, 3/14 failed taper both

5/14 tapered again STUPIDLY this time by 50% each since I began to run out both & did not want to C/T - got terrible s/x

6/14-7/11 went to ER 3 times - didn't know what was happening

7/14 Reinstated Paxil back to 20mg and Klonopin to 1.5 mg 

8/14 still having sleep, GI side effects, anxiety, depression, etc.

8/10/14 new pdoc suggested to up Paxil dose to 30mg

8/12/14 decided to stop updose on Paxil

What do I do?

[samone]

Hi everyone!

 

I am currently trying to taper Klonopin 1.5mg and Paxil 20mg.

 

New pdoc wanted me to updose my Paxil from 20mg to 30mg  since she thinks that will help with my Klonopin taper.

 

Three days ago, I started my updose on Paxil -- and now by reading the postings on your site and paxilprogess, I think that was a big mistake.   

 

Can I just cut out the new 10mg of Paxil from my daily dose, since I've only been on them for 3 days -- or do I need to taper from 30mg to 20mg? If I need to taper, does anyone have taper suggestions? 

 

Suggestions are greatly appreciated.

 

Samone

 

[Petunia]

Hi samone and welcome to SA,

 

Thank you for providing your history, it makes it easier to understand your situation.  If you would copy those details to your signature, it would be even better as they would appear at the bottom of each post, this is how you do it:

 

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

 

I think it would be safe to drop back down to 20mg of Paxil right away as you have only been on 30mg for 3 days.  I think this is a good decision and don't see the logic at all in increasing the dose of a drug that you are wanting to taper off.  It is often just as difficult to taper off an antidepressant as a benzo, so the lower the dose you are starting from, the easier its going to be.

 

We usually recommend tapering one drug at a time, starting with the antidepressant, this topic will explain why:

 

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

 

If you have looked around our site, you will know that we suggest 10% tapers for all kinds of drugs, this reduces the risk of experiencing withdrawal symptoms.

 

Here are our tips for tapering off Paxil:

 

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

 

For help with tapering off Klonopin, please go to our members only benzo section here:  http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/forum/29-members-only-benzo-tapering-discussion/

 

Its difficult to say how long anyone should wait between tapers because everyone is different.  Part of successful tapering includes learning how to listen to the body.  If you had an uneventful taper off Paxil, with very few symptoms, then perhaps you could start your next taper in a month.  But if you were experiencing some remaining withdrawal symptoms, you would want to wait until they settled down.

 

You will find a lot of friendly help and support here, I'm glad you found us.

 

Petu.

 

 

[Altostrata]

Welcome, samone.

 

It's good to hear your doctor is concerned about you, but she happens to be wrong on all counts.

 

The reason we recommend going off the antidepressant before the benzo is because withdrawal itself causes activation such as anxiety, jumpiness, and sleeplessness. The benzo acts against that.

 

Coming off benzos can be activating in the same way. I have never heard increasing the Paxil dosage compensates for this.

 

In addition, taking an increased dosage of Paxil for an extended period of time means eventually you will have taper that, too, for longer.

 

If I were you, I'd very carefully go off the Paxil by 10% per month before attempting to reduce the benzo.

[Altostrata]

Merged topics as samone's question was answered here.

[Rhiannon]

Hi samone! I can't improve on the advice (agree with all of it), but just want to welcome you to the forum. If you take your time and listen to your body, you'll do fine. Welcome!