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chrisgut0: Paxil Withdrawal


chrisgut0

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I've been on Paxil for 2 & half weeks, quit cold turkey, reinstated, and cold turkey'd again. Everything after my 2nd cold turkey went fine as everything from withdrawal started to diminish.

My question is, i've only have 2 problems still from withdrawal and its the vivid dreams and also visual snow. I was wondering if anyone has experienced this after/during withdrawal. Mainly visual snow, i know vivid dreams are common but do they stay with you forever? Also do withdrawals come back even if you feel better? The whole visual snow, vivid dreams freak me out as i researched alot about it with people saying i'm psychic lol

Took Paxil for 2 & a half weeks

 

Quit cold turkey for 1 week

 

Reinstated for 5 days

 

Quit cold turkey again (current)

 

Going through insomnia, vivid dreams,depression, and vision problems

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  • Moderator Emeritus

Well I can't say if you're psychic or not :-)

but we've had a couple of other people here with visual snow in withdrawal, although it's one of the more rare symptoms. Vivid dreams not so unusual.

 

If you're concerned you might want to talk to your doctor. But given the history you describe, if you've never used any other psych meds before this, my guess is that this is not going to last too long and it will pass by itself, along with any other WD you might be experiencing.

 

Sometimes people come off ADs just fine but then about three to nine months out they get hit with some worsening. Given your very short use I would not necessarily expect this, but if it happens, don't be surprised, and don't take it as a sign that you need to be on ADs, just ride it out like you did the initial WD. It will pass.

Started on Prozac and Xanax in 1992 for PTSD after an assault. One drug led to more, the usual story. Got sicker and sicker, but believed I needed the drugs for my "underlying disease". Long story...lost everything. Life savings, home, physical and mental health, relationships, friendships, ability to work, everything. Amitryptiline, Prozac, bupropion, buspirone, flurazepam, diazepam, alprazolam, Paxil, citalopram, lamotrigine, gabapentin...probably more I've forgotten. 

Started multidrug taper in Feb 2010.  Doing a very slow microtaper, down to low doses now and feeling SO much better, getting my old personality and my brain back! Able to work full time, have a full social life, and cope with stress better than ever. Not perfect, but much better. After 23 lost years. Big Pharma has a lot to answer for. And "medicine for profit" is just not a great idea.

 

Feb 15 2010:  300 mg Neurontin  200 Lamictal   10 Celexa      0.65 Xanax   and 5 mg Ambien 

Feb 10 2014:   62 Lamictal    1.1 Celexa         0.135 Xanax    1.8 Valium

Feb 10 2015:   50 Lamictal      0.875 Celexa    0.11 Xanax      1.5 Valium

Feb 15 2016:   47.5 Lamictal   0.75 Celexa      0.0875 Xanax    1.42 Valium    

2/12/20             12                       0.045               0.007                   1 

May 2021            7                       0.01                  0.0037                1

Feb 2022            6                      0!!!                     0.00167               0.98                2.5 mg Ambien

Oct 2022       4.5 mg Lamictal    (off Celexa, off Xanax)   0.95 Valium    Ambien, 1/4 to 1/2 of a 5 mg tablet 

 

I'm not a doctor. Any advice I give is just my civilian opinion.

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Yeah the most common withdrawals went away, the nausia, dizzyness, etc. My appetite is back, sexual drive, etc..

Its just the vivid dreams, mild insomnia, eye floaters, and visual snow that are still with me.. Im hypochondriac so you know im very anxious and still freak out about all this stuff...

Took Paxil for 2 & a half weeks

 

Quit cold turkey for 1 week

 

Reinstated for 5 days

 

Quit cold turkey again (current)

 

Going through insomnia, vivid dreams,depression, and vision problems

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  • Moderator

Hi Chris-- Welcome to the group.  Good job on not getting started on this stuff, you'll be better off with out it.  Vivid dreams are one of the hallmarks of use and wd from these drugs.  I use to get them all the time.  They would range from very scary to Oh Yea!!  As I have tapered off they have faded, I still dream, but nothing like I use to.  They should fade out as the drug and its changes leave your system.  As for the snow, I have heard a number of reports of that, and again it goes away with time.

20 years on Paxil starting at 20mg and working up to 40mg. Sept 2011 started 10% every 6 weeks taper (2.5% every week for 4 weeks then hold for 2 additional weeks), currently at 7.9mg. Oct 2011 CTed 15oz vodka a night, to only drinking 2 beers most nights, totally sober Feb 2013.

Since I wrote this I have continued to decrease my dose by 10% every 6 weeks (2.5% every week for 4 weeks and then hold for an additional 2 weeks). I added in an extra 6 week hold when I hit 10mg to let things settle out even more. When I hit 3mgpw it became hard to split the drop into 4 parts so I switched to dropping 1mgpw (pill weight) every week for 3 weeks and then holding for another 3 weeks.  The 3 + 3 schedule turned out to be too harsh so I cut back to dropping 1mgpw every 4 weeks which is working better.

Final Dose 0.016mg.     Current dose 0.000mg 04-15-2017

 

"It's also important not to become angry, no matter how difficult life is, because you can loose all hope if you can't laugh at yourself and at life in general."  Stephen Hawking

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Thanks guys, one last thing...

Did you guys ever have fear within your vivid dreams? Im constantly thinking about them daily i just feel like these vivid dreams are so real and seem like they can come true which im scared of.. Did you guys ever get dreams that seemed like the same dream from nights before? I hate this lol

Took Paxil for 2 & a half weeks

 

Quit cold turkey for 1 week

 

Reinstated for 5 days

 

Quit cold turkey again (current)

 

Going through insomnia, vivid dreams,depression, and vision problems

Link to comment
  • Moderator Emeritus

That kind of preoccupation/focus and anxiety are also pretty normal withdrawal symptoms. Hang in there, that will pass too.

 

And yes, I have those ongoing dreams, but always did. You may have had them before but just didn't remember them.

 

You sound pretty normal. Hang in there, it will get better.

Started on Prozac and Xanax in 1992 for PTSD after an assault. One drug led to more, the usual story. Got sicker and sicker, but believed I needed the drugs for my "underlying disease". Long story...lost everything. Life savings, home, physical and mental health, relationships, friendships, ability to work, everything. Amitryptiline, Prozac, bupropion, buspirone, flurazepam, diazepam, alprazolam, Paxil, citalopram, lamotrigine, gabapentin...probably more I've forgotten. 

Started multidrug taper in Feb 2010.  Doing a very slow microtaper, down to low doses now and feeling SO much better, getting my old personality and my brain back! Able to work full time, have a full social life, and cope with stress better than ever. Not perfect, but much better. After 23 lost years. Big Pharma has a lot to answer for. And "medicine for profit" is just not a great idea.

 

Feb 15 2010:  300 mg Neurontin  200 Lamictal   10 Celexa      0.65 Xanax   and 5 mg Ambien 

Feb 10 2014:   62 Lamictal    1.1 Celexa         0.135 Xanax    1.8 Valium

Feb 10 2015:   50 Lamictal      0.875 Celexa    0.11 Xanax      1.5 Valium

Feb 15 2016:   47.5 Lamictal   0.75 Celexa      0.0875 Xanax    1.42 Valium    

2/12/20             12                       0.045               0.007                   1 

May 2021            7                       0.01                  0.0037                1

Feb 2022            6                      0!!!                     0.00167               0.98                2.5 mg Ambien

Oct 2022       4.5 mg Lamictal    (off Celexa, off Xanax)   0.95 Valium    Ambien, 1/4 to 1/2 of a 5 mg tablet 

 

I'm not a doctor. Any advice I give is just my civilian opinion.

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Yeah the withdrawals from paxil im over with, i just feel paranoid about the dreams. I read online and i know i shouldn't of have, about dreams telling you about the future, symbolic stuff and all other type of psychic stuff.. Just freaked me out and has me thinking all day..

Took Paxil for 2 & a half weeks

 

Quit cold turkey for 1 week

 

Reinstated for 5 days

 

Quit cold turkey again (current)

 

Going through insomnia, vivid dreams,depression, and vision problems

Link to comment
  • Moderator

To my thinking dreams are a way for your mind to keep from getting bored while you're asleep.  I have done a fair amount of work with dream interpretation and such and have found some symbolic representations of real life, but nothing that for shadowed things to come.  It was always references to current situations, but most dreams ended up just being nonsense.

 

Some of the vivid ones I had during poopout tended toward the ultra violent, with the violence usually aimed at me.  There were several that left me shaken for days afterwards.  There was one in particular I had 18 some months ago that still upsets me to think about it, I can still see several of the scenes if I try.  One does have to remember that like emotions they are just mental constructs and can't hurt you.

20 years on Paxil starting at 20mg and working up to 40mg. Sept 2011 started 10% every 6 weeks taper (2.5% every week for 4 weeks then hold for 2 additional weeks), currently at 7.9mg. Oct 2011 CTed 15oz vodka a night, to only drinking 2 beers most nights, totally sober Feb 2013.

Since I wrote this I have continued to decrease my dose by 10% every 6 weeks (2.5% every week for 4 weeks and then hold for an additional 2 weeks). I added in an extra 6 week hold when I hit 10mg to let things settle out even more. When I hit 3mgpw it became hard to split the drop into 4 parts so I switched to dropping 1mgpw (pill weight) every week for 3 weeks and then holding for another 3 weeks.  The 3 + 3 schedule turned out to be too harsh so I cut back to dropping 1mgpw every 4 weeks which is working better.

Final Dose 0.016mg.     Current dose 0.000mg 04-15-2017

 

"It's also important not to become angry, no matter how difficult life is, because you can loose all hope if you can't laugh at yourself and at life in general."  Stephen Hawking

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5 minutes before reading your response i got really emotional because of the constant thinking of my dreams... I told my mom what was going on and i really dont like putting her through this, she just wants me to get better and i do to..

Im praying for my dreams to go away im doing everything i can, i just can't stand them they seem too real and i honestly feel like they can be real which i do not want them too.. Your response calmed me down a bit, im about to go to sleep hopefully its easy tonight.

Took Paxil for 2 & a half weeks

 

Quit cold turkey for 1 week

 

Reinstated for 5 days

 

Quit cold turkey again (current)

 

Going through insomnia, vivid dreams,depression, and vision problems

Link to comment
  • Moderator

One thing I learned over the years was how to stop dreams while they are happening.  When a person is in REM sleep, the time that dreams happen, they are usually semi-conscience, because REM sleep isn't very deep.  If, during a dream, you can realize that you this and raise yourself up to barely conscience you can use the key phrase "reboot brain" and then force your mind to go totally blank for a few moments.  If possible actually opening your eyes momentarily will really help. Then ignoring any anxiety the dream produced let yourself drift back down into deep sleep. It is a lot to ask from a sleeping brain but with some practice I found it very effective.

 

Another thing is to not let the dream freak you out.  If a dream causes you to wake up, or if you force yourself to wake up to get out of a dream, then a quick shake of the head, like your shaking water out of your hair along with the typical "bbllurrrbb" vocalization, and then saying out loud "dang that was weird, luckily it was only a dream"  really can help.  Then change the channel, take a couple of deep breaths, relax your shoulders and go back to sleep.  Letting the secondary fear take hold is what you're trying to avoid.

 

These things don't happen overnight, they take a little practice, but just knowing that they are possible can really help.  Hope you have a better night tonight.

20 years on Paxil starting at 20mg and working up to 40mg. Sept 2011 started 10% every 6 weeks taper (2.5% every week for 4 weeks then hold for 2 additional weeks), currently at 7.9mg. Oct 2011 CTed 15oz vodka a night, to only drinking 2 beers most nights, totally sober Feb 2013.

Since I wrote this I have continued to decrease my dose by 10% every 6 weeks (2.5% every week for 4 weeks and then hold for an additional 2 weeks). I added in an extra 6 week hold when I hit 10mg to let things settle out even more. When I hit 3mgpw it became hard to split the drop into 4 parts so I switched to dropping 1mgpw (pill weight) every week for 3 weeks and then holding for another 3 weeks.  The 3 + 3 schedule turned out to be too harsh so I cut back to dropping 1mgpw every 4 weeks which is working better.

Final Dose 0.016mg.     Current dose 0.000mg 04-15-2017

 

"It's also important not to become angry, no matter how difficult life is, because you can loose all hope if you can't laugh at yourself and at life in general."  Stephen Hawking

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I woke up today with mild dreams, i dont feel like i had any but still felt out of it. I then went back to sleep in the morning and got hit with 2 dreams that were vivid and they were all about what i did in the morning, which were hearing my family in the living room, smell of food, etc. I dreamt of it when i went back to sleep. Im fully awake now and just super exhausted.. Haven't been doing anything lately except being stuck in my room laying in bed. My hunger and everything came back a couple days ago but it seems gone now. Im going to try your method and see if i have any luck.

Took Paxil for 2 & a half weeks

 

Quit cold turkey for 1 week

 

Reinstated for 5 days

 

Quit cold turkey again (current)

 

Going through insomnia, vivid dreams,depression, and vision problems

Link to comment
  • Moderator Emeritus

I hope the brassmonkey dream stopping method works for you, do let us know.

 

When you get a chance, please put your drug and withdrawal history in your signature.  Putting a short version of your drug and tapering history in your signature helps people understand your context, it appears below each of your posts.  Here are instructions for how to do it:

 

http://survivinganti...your-signature/

I'm not a doctor.  My comments are not medical advise. These are my opinions based on my own experience and what I've learned. Please discuss your situation with a medical practitioner who has knowledge of tapering and withdrawal...if you are lucky enough to find one.

My Introduction Thread

Full Drug and Withdrawal History

Brief Summary

Several SSRIs for 13 years starting 1997 (for mild to moderate partly situational anxiety) Xanax PRN ~ Various other drugs over the years for side effects

2 month 'taper' off Lexapro 2010

Short acute withdrawal, followed by 2 -3 months of improvement then delayed protracted withdrawal

DX ADHD followed by several years of stimulants and other drugs trying to manage increasing symptoms

Failed reinstatement of Lexapro and trial of Prozac (became suicidal)

May 2013 Found SA, learned about withdrawal, stopped taking drugs...healing begins.

Protracted withdrawal, with a very sensitized nervous system, slowly recovering as time passes

Supplements which have helped: Vitamin C, Magnesium, Taurine

Bad reactions: Many supplements but mostly fish oil and Vitamin D

June 2016 - Started daily juicing, mostly vegetables and lots of greens.

Aug 2016 - Oct 2016 Best window ever, felt almost completely recovered

Oct 2016 -Symptoms returned - bad days and less bad days.

April 2018 - No windows, but significant improvement, it feels like permanent full recovery is close.

VIDEO: Where did the chemical imbalance theory come from?



VIDEO: How are psychiatric diagnoses made?



VIDEO: Why do psychiatric drugs have withdrawal syndromes?



VIDEO: Can psychiatric drugs cause long-lasting negative effects?

VIDEO: Dr. Claire Weekes

 

 

 

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Ok i added it

Took Paxil for 2 & a half weeks

 

Quit cold turkey for 1 week

 

Reinstated for 5 days

 

Quit cold turkey again (current)

 

Going through insomnia, vivid dreams,depression, and vision problems

Link to comment

So i keep having the dreams its getting very overwhelming... I just feel like being in bed all day (which i usually am)

I keep having some dreams that are somewhat coming true as well (i do not believe im phsychic) im just very afraid and hate all of this...

Took Paxil for 2 & a half weeks

 

Quit cold turkey for 1 week

 

Reinstated for 5 days

 

Quit cold turkey again (current)

 

Going through insomnia, vivid dreams,depression, and vision problems

Link to comment

Hi everyone, as crazy as it sounds has anyone felt psychic while withdrawling from ssri's? I don't believe i'm Psychic, but i've been having some type of weird deja vu type vivid dreams that have seemed to somewhat come true lately.. Ive also had a weird sensation that came when i did my first cold turkey which was in the middle of my eyebrow/forehead, i googled it and its the "third eye"

 

I'm honestly paranoid and depressed about all of this and i KNEW that i shouldn't have googled about this certain problem..

 

After i stopped the 2nd time of taking Paxil, i felt back to normal a couple days later. But then all of a sudden, some of the withdrawals came back and the main ones are just very vivid dreams, recorruing dreams, insomnia, snowy/static/floater vision that comes and goes, constant worry and overthinking about my dreams and everything else 24/7, and depression..

 

 

I feel so empty and out of it no energy when i wake up which carries on throughout the day... Is this all normal part of the withdrawal? Did anyone feel like this? Am i going crazy? Im so damm sick of all this thinking im psychic

Took Paxil for 2 & a half weeks

 

Quit cold turkey for 1 week

 

Reinstated for 5 days

 

Quit cold turkey again (current)

 

Going through insomnia, vivid dreams,depression, and vision problems

Link to comment
  • Moderator Emeritus

Hi Chrisgut0,

 

I merge your recent post about feeling psychic with your original intro thread.   There is only one thread per person in the intro section so you need to add to your original one rather than create a second thread in in the intro forum.

 

You could also use the search facility to see whether anyone else has posted stuff that relates to how you feel.

 

Dalsaan

Please note - I am not a medical practitioner and I do not give medical advice. I offer an opinion based on my own experiences, reading and discussion with others.On Effexor for 2 months at the start of 2005. Had extreme insomnia as an adverse reaction. Changed to mirtazapine. Have been trying to get off since mid 2008 with numerous failures including CTs and slow (but not slow enough tapers)Have slow tapered at 10 per cent or less for years. I have liquid mirtazapine made at a compounding chemist.

Was on 1.6 ml as at 19 March 2014.

Dropped to 1.5 ml 7 June 2014. Dropped to 1.4 in about September.

Dropped to 1.3 on 20 December 2014. Dropped to 1.2 in mid Jan 2015.

Dropped to 1 ml in late Feb 2015. I think my old medication had run out of puff so I tried 1ml when I got the new stuff and it seems to be going ok. Sleep has been good over the last week (as of 13/3/15).

Dropped to 1/2 ml 14/11/15 Fatigue still there as are memory and cognition problems. Sleep is patchy but liveable compared to what it has been in the past.

 

DRUG FREE - as at 1st May 2017

 

>My intro post is here - http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/2250-dalsaan

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Ok sorry about that..

 

 

 

Can anyone help me?

Took Paxil for 2 & a half weeks

 

Quit cold turkey for 1 week

 

Reinstated for 5 days

 

Quit cold turkey again (current)

 

Going through insomnia, vivid dreams,depression, and vision problems

Link to comment

Hi Chrisgut0,

 

It sounds like a withdrawal type of symptom in that when we are going through withdrawal our minds sometimes get stuck on certain thoughts that are difficult to stop.  For some it is the thought of always being stuck this way or just not being able to stop thinking about how we are feeling as it just feels so miserable.  I am wondering if your thoughts/worries about being psychic are just another type of withdrawal thinking where it is difficult to think about other things.  I am sorry you are going through this but given you were only on Paxil such a short time, I think you will be feeling better very soon and these thoughts will be gone.

 

Michele

-1/06 - 3/07 Cymbalta. Fast taper (essentially CT); withdrawal symptoms after 4 mos (didn't realize was WD)

-10/07: 100 mg Zoloft; 1 mg Klonopin - tapered off Klonopin after 4 mos. Several unsuccessful slow tapers of Zoloft; went up and down in dose a lot

-Spring 2013 back on 1 mg Klonopin to counter WD symptoms; switched over 5-6 mos from Zoloft to 35 mg citalopram
-Two attempts at slow tapering citalopram, always increased dose due to WD; also increased Klonopin to 1.25 mg in 2014, then to 1.5 mg in 2015

-8/17-9/17: After holding one year at 20 mg, feeling withdrawal symptoms due to stress - slowly increased to 25 mg. No change in symptoms after 6 months (? tolerance ?)  - decided to start citalopram taper February 2018 (still on Klonopin 1.5 mg).

Supplements: fish oil; magnesium; vitamin D3; curcumin

Citalopram taper:  2/2018 - 12/2019: 25 mg - 11.03 mg I 2020: 10.89 mg - 7.9 mg I 2021: 7.8 mg - 5.26 mg I 2022: 5.2 mg - 3.36 mg I 2023: 3.3 mg - 1.47 mg 2024: 1/5/24: 1.44 mg; 1/19/24: 1.40 mg; 1/26/24: 1.37 mg; 2/2/24: 1.34 mg; 2/9/24: 1.31 mg; 2/23/24: 1.28 mg; 3/1/24: 1.25 mg; 3/8/24: 1.22 mg; 3/15/24: 1.19 mg

 

 

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  • Moderator

Funny, you're the second person who has mentioned feelings in the "third eye" since I moved back here.  The third eye is the area just above the eyebrows in the middle of the forehead.  It is considered to be the area where psychic energy is received and transmitted.  But it is also an area where the effects of mental trauma can be focused.  Learning to use the psychic energy there takes years of training and practice, while experiencing the energy from mental trauma is quite easy.  With the start up, stopping, restarting and stopping again your brain is really complaining and throwing all sorts of things at you.  I wouldn't be worried about it.  The feeling of no energy and emptiness are quite common and will clear up with time.

20 years on Paxil starting at 20mg and working up to 40mg. Sept 2011 started 10% every 6 weeks taper (2.5% every week for 4 weeks then hold for 2 additional weeks), currently at 7.9mg. Oct 2011 CTed 15oz vodka a night, to only drinking 2 beers most nights, totally sober Feb 2013.

Since I wrote this I have continued to decrease my dose by 10% every 6 weeks (2.5% every week for 4 weeks and then hold for an additional 2 weeks). I added in an extra 6 week hold when I hit 10mg to let things settle out even more. When I hit 3mgpw it became hard to split the drop into 4 parts so I switched to dropping 1mgpw (pill weight) every week for 3 weeks and then holding for another 3 weeks.  The 3 + 3 schedule turned out to be too harsh so I cut back to dropping 1mgpw every 4 weeks which is working better.

Final Dose 0.016mg.     Current dose 0.000mg 04-15-2017

 

"It's also important not to become angry, no matter how difficult life is, because you can loose all hope if you can't laugh at yourself and at life in general."  Stephen Hawking

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I think im the same person that asked about it, you were om PaxilProgress right? Weird how they just randomly shut down that website.. Anyways, yeah ive been feeling all of that and i really dont like it... Im not psychic am i? I hope not, im going to go to my doctor soon to see if he can help me find some counsling/therapy. I believe the forehead sensation were all apart of my sinuses and stress, and all the dreams are like deja vu coincedence. Idk im just freaking out about all of this. I feel so spacey and disconnected..

Took Paxil for 2 & a half weeks

 

Quit cold turkey for 1 week

 

Reinstated for 5 days

 

Quit cold turkey again (current)

 

Going through insomnia, vivid dreams,depression, and vision problems

Link to comment

Also, i'm 18 days Paxil free, still going through vivid dreams.. When should they go away?

Took Paxil for 2 & a half weeks

 

Quit cold turkey for 1 week

 

Reinstated for 5 days

 

Quit cold turkey again (current)

 

Going through insomnia, vivid dreams,depression, and vision problems

Link to comment
  • Moderator

Yea that was me,  seemed like quite the coincidence to me.  It's just the after effects of the drugs.  They are only thoughts and can't hurt you, it is best not to dwell on them, just go on about your life and they will fade in a few weeks.

20 years on Paxil starting at 20mg and working up to 40mg. Sept 2011 started 10% every 6 weeks taper (2.5% every week for 4 weeks then hold for 2 additional weeks), currently at 7.9mg. Oct 2011 CTed 15oz vodka a night, to only drinking 2 beers most nights, totally sober Feb 2013.

Since I wrote this I have continued to decrease my dose by 10% every 6 weeks (2.5% every week for 4 weeks and then hold for an additional 2 weeks). I added in an extra 6 week hold when I hit 10mg to let things settle out even more. When I hit 3mgpw it became hard to split the drop into 4 parts so I switched to dropping 1mgpw (pill weight) every week for 3 weeks and then holding for another 3 weeks.  The 3 + 3 schedule turned out to be too harsh so I cut back to dropping 1mgpw every 4 weeks which is working better.

Final Dose 0.016mg.     Current dose 0.000mg 04-15-2017

 

"It's also important not to become angry, no matter how difficult life is, because you can loose all hope if you can't laugh at yourself and at life in general."  Stephen Hawking

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Did you ever experience this before? & how long did the dreams go away for you? Are you 100%?

Took Paxil for 2 & a half weeks

 

Quit cold turkey for 1 week

 

Reinstated for 5 days

 

Quit cold turkey again (current)

 

Going through insomnia, vivid dreams,depression, and vision problems

Link to comment
  • Moderator

I have had a lot of experience with this sort of thing.  I mentioned the years of training and practice to work with psychic energy because I went through them and still am.  Very interesting stuff and nothing like the preconceptions the general public have.  I have always believed that "one should control their mind, so it doesn't control them".  

 

I am still on a very low dose of paxil (I"ve really got to get my signature added) so I am still being effected by that.  My dreams were the most vivid while I was on my full dose.  there were times I really did mistake events in them for events happening IRL, and would have to really think about it to reason it out.  The viloent dreams I could do without, mainly because the violence was usually aimed at me and way too real.  The rest of them I rather miss, especially the "OhYea" variety.  Over the course of my taper they have diminished a lot,  I still get dreams almost every night, but not nearly as all engrossing as they were.

 

I won't be able to declare 100% recovery for several years.  Once I get off the drug next summer sometime I will still have a period of post WD recovery to get through.  ATM I have some really good days and then slid back down a bit for a while.  It is all very frustrating because it still changes hour by hour.  I will say that I am so improved from where I started that it is hard to describe, and the improvements seem to be increasing weekly.  So for now I would rate WDnormal as feeling fairly good, my head being fairly clear and my memory problems more a case of CRS (can't remember s***) instead of WD.

20 years on Paxil starting at 20mg and working up to 40mg. Sept 2011 started 10% every 6 weeks taper (2.5% every week for 4 weeks then hold for 2 additional weeks), currently at 7.9mg. Oct 2011 CTed 15oz vodka a night, to only drinking 2 beers most nights, totally sober Feb 2013.

Since I wrote this I have continued to decrease my dose by 10% every 6 weeks (2.5% every week for 4 weeks and then hold for an additional 2 weeks). I added in an extra 6 week hold when I hit 10mg to let things settle out even more. When I hit 3mgpw it became hard to split the drop into 4 parts so I switched to dropping 1mgpw (pill weight) every week for 3 weeks and then holding for another 3 weeks.  The 3 + 3 schedule turned out to be too harsh so I cut back to dropping 1mgpw every 4 weeks which is working better.

Final Dose 0.016mg.     Current dose 0.000mg 04-15-2017

 

"It's also important not to become angry, no matter how difficult life is, because you can loose all hope if you can't laugh at yourself and at life in general."  Stephen Hawking

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You'll get through it man, are you doing any therapy?

Took Paxil for 2 & a half weeks

 

Quit cold turkey for 1 week

 

Reinstated for 5 days

 

Quit cold turkey again (current)

 

Going through insomnia, vivid dreams,depression, and vision problems

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Not officially.  The years of psychic training included a huge amount of self analysis/exploration so it is pretty much second nature to dig into my feelings/ beliefs and such to get to the root of them and make adjustment as needed.  It is a long slog but I can clearly see the on rushing train at the end or the tunnel.lol

20 years on Paxil starting at 20mg and working up to 40mg. Sept 2011 started 10% every 6 weeks taper (2.5% every week for 4 weeks then hold for 2 additional weeks), currently at 7.9mg. Oct 2011 CTed 15oz vodka a night, to only drinking 2 beers most nights, totally sober Feb 2013.

Since I wrote this I have continued to decrease my dose by 10% every 6 weeks (2.5% every week for 4 weeks and then hold for an additional 2 weeks). I added in an extra 6 week hold when I hit 10mg to let things settle out even more. When I hit 3mgpw it became hard to split the drop into 4 parts so I switched to dropping 1mgpw (pill weight) every week for 3 weeks and then holding for another 3 weeks.  The 3 + 3 schedule turned out to be too harsh so I cut back to dropping 1mgpw every 4 weeks which is working better.

Final Dose 0.016mg.     Current dose 0.000mg 04-15-2017

 

"It's also important not to become angry, no matter how difficult life is, because you can loose all hope if you can't laugh at yourself and at life in general."  Stephen Hawking

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Sorry haha i mean't for your original reason for starting paxil, have you gotten therapy for that?

 

Oh and for today i somewhat feel a bit better, had a whatever dream but again it still leaves me drained and depressed. Any dream i have from now on just leaves me in this state, im too anxious and cant stop thinking about it. Im depressed because i feel like im going crazy and feel psychic. Its been like 19 days since i last took paxil and im still having these dreams, everything else seemed to diminish. Except my dreams, insomnia, anxiousness, mild headaches, etc.

Took Paxil for 2 & a half weeks

 

Quit cold turkey for 1 week

 

Reinstated for 5 days

 

Quit cold turkey again (current)

 

Going through insomnia, vivid dreams,depression, and vision problems

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  • Moderator

Basically the same answer.  I went on paxil for spontaneous outbursts of irrational violent anger.  If you have read my post about my Seven Years of Pain then you know the background on where much of the anger was coming from.  There were a load of older issues added on top of that too.  At the time I should have had counseling but ended up being drugged instead.  It was through my own spiritual pursuits and the desire to "change my ways"  which required a lot of introspection, self evaluation and dealing with my issues that I have been able to work through the anger issues and their root causes.  A lot like WD is has been a solo journey aided by the support of various individuals  and groups.

20 years on Paxil starting at 20mg and working up to 40mg. Sept 2011 started 10% every 6 weeks taper (2.5% every week for 4 weeks then hold for 2 additional weeks), currently at 7.9mg. Oct 2011 CTed 15oz vodka a night, to only drinking 2 beers most nights, totally sober Feb 2013.

Since I wrote this I have continued to decrease my dose by 10% every 6 weeks (2.5% every week for 4 weeks and then hold for an additional 2 weeks). I added in an extra 6 week hold when I hit 10mg to let things settle out even more. When I hit 3mgpw it became hard to split the drop into 4 parts so I switched to dropping 1mgpw (pill weight) every week for 3 weeks and then holding for another 3 weeks.  The 3 + 3 schedule turned out to be too harsh so I cut back to dropping 1mgpw every 4 weeks which is working better.

Final Dose 0.016mg.     Current dose 0.000mg 04-15-2017

 

"It's also important not to become angry, no matter how difficult life is, because you can loose all hope if you can't laugh at yourself and at life in general."  Stephen Hawking

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That's a bit tough, glad you made it through. Can't really give you any advice since im a short term user but yeah keep doing what you're doing everything will be great soon for the both of us.

Took Paxil for 2 & a half weeks

 

Quit cold turkey for 1 week

 

Reinstated for 5 days

 

Quit cold turkey again (current)

 

Going through insomnia, vivid dreams,depression, and vision problems

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Anyone continue to have vivid dreams after most w/d cleared up? When did/do they subside? I feel like im the only one. Sorry if i'm sounding too repetitive, i just feel like i'm the only one. Also do dreams make you feel depressed and different?

 

(I.e) say you have a vivd dream about your bathroom, and when you wake up you feel different about your bathroom because of your dream?

 

 

I'm just so paranoid about these dreams sorry if im sounding dramatic guys...

Took Paxil for 2 & a half weeks

 

Quit cold turkey for 1 week

 

Reinstated for 5 days

 

Quit cold turkey again (current)

 

Going through insomnia, vivid dreams,depression, and vision problems

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Nobody?

Took Paxil for 2 & a half weeks

 

Quit cold turkey for 1 week

 

Reinstated for 5 days

 

Quit cold turkey again (current)

 

Going through insomnia, vivid dreams,depression, and vision problems

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  • Moderator Emeritus

Chris

 

It's quite probable that people have vivid dreams like you but don't invest anywhere near the level of significance in them. The level of meaning depends on the significance that you place on them - no more, no less. If they trouble you try to find ways to ignore them or interrupt them as brass monkey talked about. Continuing to ask about them here and to seek out others who have had them reinforces their significance.

 

Drugs mess with our brains, our brains sometimes reflect that in our dreams. Think of it like this - if you took LSD and had a trip it would be vivid but it wouldn't have any significance for your real life, you would dismiss it as an LSD fuelled trip. Same thing with dreams. Challenge your thoughts on this, don't invest in them

 

Dalsaan

Please note - I am not a medical practitioner and I do not give medical advice. I offer an opinion based on my own experiences, reading and discussion with others.On Effexor for 2 months at the start of 2005. Had extreme insomnia as an adverse reaction. Changed to mirtazapine. Have been trying to get off since mid 2008 with numerous failures including CTs and slow (but not slow enough tapers)Have slow tapered at 10 per cent or less for years. I have liquid mirtazapine made at a compounding chemist.

Was on 1.6 ml as at 19 March 2014.

Dropped to 1.5 ml 7 June 2014. Dropped to 1.4 in about September.

Dropped to 1.3 on 20 December 2014. Dropped to 1.2 in mid Jan 2015.

Dropped to 1 ml in late Feb 2015. I think my old medication had run out of puff so I tried 1ml when I got the new stuff and it seems to be going ok. Sleep has been good over the last week (as of 13/3/15).

Dropped to 1/2 ml 14/11/15 Fatigue still there as are memory and cognition problems. Sleep is patchy but liveable compared to what it has been in the past.

 

DRUG FREE - as at 1st May 2017

 

>My intro post is here - http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/2250-dalsaan

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  • 4 months later...

Its been about 5 months since i posted on here, and im still experienciny withdrawals from Paxil. Actually im notnsure if it is from the Paxil or just that the anxiety is worse. But the main symptoms im still facing is

- trouble sleeping

- vivid dreams

- waking up tired with morning anxiety

- hearing things when falling asleep/waking up

- depersonalization when going out

- eyebfloaters/visual snow and other vision problems

 

Will this all go away eventually? I heard that if you continue paxil everything will clear up? Will cbt help clear all this up? What should i do? The main symptoms that bother me usually are my sleep and dreams, they make everything worse. Again i only took paxil for about 3 weeks and quit cold turkey. Any help from anyone who successfully got off paxil would mean everything to me. Thank you.

Took Paxil for 2 & a half weeks

 

Quit cold turkey for 1 week

 

Reinstated for 5 days

 

Quit cold turkey again (current)

 

Going through insomnia, vivid dreams,depression, and vision problems

Link to comment
  • Moderator Emeritus

Hi Chis, it is terrible that you have all this from just 3 weeks of paxil.  Your nervous system was badly affected by the drug and it takes time to stabilise. I can relate to the sleep problems, it is my biggest symptom and even though I tapered very slowly it is sleep that is still bad for me. I also have that thing with hearing things when falling asleep, it can be anything from a telephone ringing to the roof caving in but of course there isn't anything happening! I'm used to it now, it used to scare me but now I know what it is I just get annoyed because then I cant get off to sleep but I don't dwell on it.  Dreams are good because it means you are asleep, or that is how I think of them! Mine can be very weird and I don't know if they are real or not. I find myself trying to work out whether it is a dream but I am dreaming that I'm trying to work it out and wake up confused! But then I celebrate because I was asleep, as insomnia is a huge problem sleep where I am dreaming is a good thing however odd the dreams are!   The good thing is that your nervous system is healing,  About a year ago my son took an AD for about 4 weeks and had terrible reactions to it, then withdrawal on quitting. He is here with me now and recovered, is back at work and sleeping well, it was a gradual improvement.  You will get there too and this will just be a bad memory. 

**I am not a medical professional, if in doubt please consult a doctor with withdrawal knowledge.

 

 

Different drugs occasionally (mostly benzos) 1976 - 1981 (no problem)

1993 - 2002 in and out of hospital. every type of drug + ECT. Staring with seroxat

2002  effexor. 

Tapered  March 2012 to March 2013, ending with 5 beads.

Withdrawal April 2013 . Reinstated 5 beads reduced to 4 beads May 2013

Restarted taper  Nov 2013  

OFF EFFEXOR Feb 2015    :D 

Tapered atenolol and omeprazole Dec 2013 - May 2014

 

Tapering tramadol, Feb 2015 100mg , March 2015 50mg  

 July 2017 30mg.  May 15 2018 25mg

Taking fish oil, magnesium, B12, folic acid, bilberry eyebright for eye pressure. 

 

My story http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/4199-hello-mammap-checking-in/page-33

 

Lesson learned, slow down taper at lower doses. Taper no more than 10% of CURRENT dose if possible

 

 

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  • 4 years later...

Hi @chrisgut0,

 

How are you doing now?:)

Early September 2019 - One 25mg dose of Sertraline taken.

Early October 2019 - Five 25mg doses (pills) of Sertraline taken for five consecutive days.

Withdrawal/reaction happened on the 27th of October (2019) in the evening.

Symptoms that have gone: Joint and muscle pain/weakness in my legs, phantom senses, chemical dread, chemical fear, DP/DR has gotten a lot lot better than what it is now, it was one of my worst and all-encompassing symptoms when it started, awful aphasia, parkinsonism, head pressure, pressure in my frontal lobe when trying to think/work out something, inability to plan or execute anything//feelings of being literally scatterbrained, inability to think in my head other than slight acknowledgements - the voice in my head sounded weak and 'small' like it was restrained to a much smaller area of my brain, constant fatigue, emotional numbness, constant eyestrain, and changes in perception of colour/contrast in sight.

Main remaining symptoms: Visual Snow/HPPD, derealisation, tinnitus, and brain/cog fog.

Drug free.

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