Annelien88: Trying to quit Seroxat

[Annelien88]

Hi everyone

 

I was directed here by a friend who has been suffering from withdrawal issues too. 

 

I was started on Xanax and 20 mg Seroxat in oct '12 because I was suffering from generalised anxiety disorder and was really down in the dumps: depressed and anxious 24/7. My GP prescribed me these two and sent me to a psychologist. After two weeks, i stopped taking the Xanax. 

 

I've gradually gotten better and went back to work after 6 weeks. after a few months of therapy and a few life changes, I felt much better and have been doing really well since. I tried to taper off the Seroxat in spring '13 but even taking it slow, i felt horrible and dizzy and depressed, so my doctor recommended going back to my old dosage. She gave me a new box of Xanax and told me these were for 'emergency days' where I felt I needed it. i've taken two since, I think the pack is about to expire, ha. I feel like a zombie when i take one so I avoid them. 

 

Anyway, last autumn I decided to try and get off the seroxat again. I halved the dosage and after two weeks of constant dizziness, I was doing okay until the depression and anxiety hit me like a train. I had to take a week off work and my doctor put me back on the 20mg. While tapering off, i felt very depressed and tired. I also sweated like crazy at night and had the worst nightmares ever. 

 

Right now I'm notgoing to quit or taper yet since I'm changing jobs but I hope to do so in summer or autumn this year, with your recommendations on the site of 10% at a time. What I am trying to do, however, is lose some weight and start getting in shape. I want to bike to work every day and I go running trice a week now with the 'couch to 5k program'. I hope this will help me feel better about myself which should give me a good place to start from. 

 

I've gained a LOT of weight (15kg) while on these pills but I don't see any other side-effects so far. when i forget to take one, i get dizzy by afternoon which is very annoying. 

 

So that's the story so far

[Fresh]

Hi Annelien , welcome to the site.  I'm so glad you found it , so you have heaps of information before beginning to taper again.

 

It sounds like you'e taking charge of many aspects of your life , which , as you say , will put you in a good place.

I used to keep a spare dose in my purse for in case I forgot to take it in the morning.   The dizziness is the start of W/D.

 

Good to have you on board ,  Fresh

[Altostrata]

Welcome, Annelien.

 

It sounds like you might have already read our topics Why taper by 10% of my dosage?  and Tips for tapering off Paxil (paroxetine)

 

Post your questions in your Intro topic, this is your topic to track your progress.

[thinkpink]

Hi Annelien, Im on Seroxat too (long time user) and doing a very slow wean. Its a great idea to exercise and try to eat well during withdrawal, whilst you cant predict how youre going to feel, exercise, plenty of water and nutrious food will go some way to helping you on your journey. Im currently doing the couch to 5k program too :-) as your not starting your withdrawal until later in the year youve got some time to prepare and research so you have some idea of what to expect. Slow and steady is the way forward. Good luck! Pink x

[Annelien88]

I'm currently tapering off seroxat in 5mg installments. I took 20mg, took 15 for a month, which went very very well, and a week ago i switched to 10. my doctor oversees all this, along with my pharmacist who makes the pills for me. 

 

It's going pretty good emotionally but i keep getting these weird dizzy feelings... it's very annoying. it makes me feel like i have the flu or i'm tipsy. i also am having some trouble with my hands, holding things tightly and dropping things a lot. it's weird as hell... does this fade? 

[Miko789]

try tapering off with smaller amounts, from 10mg taper off by 10% reduction.

9mg etc and see how it goes. 

[Altostrata]

Annelien, I moved your posts to your Intro topic. Please read this from the beginning and read the links posted here for you.

 

Follow this topic or bookmark it so you can find it again.

 

You are getting withdrawal symptoms from tapering too fast.

[Annelien88]

i just wanted to know if the dizziness had a fix or if it passes?

[Fresh]

The dizziness may pass , or it may get a whole lot worse.  You don't always get the w/d effect immediately , and

symptoms may take days or even weeks to appear if you've dropped your dose by too much.

 

So you've decreased by 50%  in 6 weeks.  That's asking for trouble.

I'd consider increasing to 15mg and sitting there for 6 to 8 weeks , if you want to avoid getting really sick.

[mammaP]

Hi Annalien, your taper is too fast and your brain is struggling to keep up. Everyone wants to get off the drug and to do it quickly. 

We have had enough and we make the decision to get off, that decision is empowering and we are going to do it,

then hit withdrawal when our brains start to struggle, and we soldier on taking this or that to help the various symptoms. 

I did it too, but the only way to go is slowly. You can make a solution from your tablets to make smaller reductions, and I would go up to 

13.5, which will then be a 10% reduction from 15 and help the withdrawal symptoms.   I've been there, done that and learned the hard way that there is no way to beat those rotten drugs by marching into battle, we have to go stealthily and sneakily take it away very slowly! 

[Altostrata]

Annalien, please read this entire topic from the beginning.