PapaBear Posted November 28, 2015 Author Share Posted November 28, 2015 Many thanks for your quick answer! Highly appreciated. Yes I have read those threads but sometimes it is really good to do it again and many of the posts relate to my problems. It's just that I sometimes thought that sports, meditation and healthy food would simply counteract the problems with withdrawal and if I would be disciplined enough I would feel better. I mean it helps a lot but apparently the dark sight of withdrawal is stronger and it simply needs time to heal. So patience I must have obviously. May the force be with you fellow sufferers! - Paroxetine since more than 10years - 20mg for the first five year, then 10mg since - Several attempts to withdraw cold turkey following doctor's advise - Last attempt in spring 2015 to reduce 10 -> 5 -> 2.5 -> 0mg within 2 months -> Extreme wd problems - Reinstated with 10mg then down to 5mg again 04/01 5mg (tingling and muscle problems) 07/20 5mg (less problems) 08/20 4.95mg (muscle tightness, no more tingling sensations) 12/28 3.27mg (muscle tightness, numb feeling in feet and hands, light tingling sensations Link to comment
AliG Posted November 28, 2015 Share Posted November 28, 2015 P .B. Absolutely ! You can't think or " will" it away , no matter how hard you try ! Believe me , I've tried . Patience , time and acceptance is the way to go. Ali Many SSRI's and SSNRI's over 20 years. Zoloft for 7 years followed by Effexor, Lexapro, Prozac, Cymbalta, Celexa, Pristiq, Valdoxan, Mianserin and more - on and off. No tapering. Cold turkey off Valdoxan - end of May 2014 Psych Drug - free since May 2014 . Link to comment
Moderator Emeritus apace41 Posted November 28, 2015 Moderator Emeritus Share Posted November 28, 2015 PB, First off, thanks for your post on my thread a while back. I think I forgot to respond. Ali gives excellent advice here. It is really hard but you are doing all the right things. Time, time, time. This will pass and get better. There is not much you can do other than work on your coping mechanisms. I find soothing music in headphones helps me through the "amped up" periods. Hang in there, PB. This too shall pass. Andy Sertraline 50mg and Clonazapam .375mg from 2000 -- symptoms of dizziness Spring 2012 increased to .5 Clonazapam and 100mg Sertraline -- no improvement Benzo microtaper from November 2012 to November 2014 (followed benzo sites "taper benzo first") Started Sertraline taper in December 2014 cut by 25mg to 75mg; 62.5mg 1/1/15 and 50mg on 2/1/15 Held at 50mg through April 5 to use liquid Reduced dosage in 10% or less drops from 50mg to 25mg -- at single tablet of 25mg on 10/5/15 Transitioned to all liquid for accuracy while tapering -- Horrible insomnia -- back to 25mg liquid and held until October 1, 2016 10/16 -- 11/18 tapered very slowly to 10.6mg. No real improvement and never really stable so updosed to 12.5mg (1/2 a pill) for convenience and long hold. After 8+ months of holding with no noticeable improvement decided to add .4ml of liquid Prozac (about 1.5mg) to see if that improves the situation Supplements, Magnesium, D3, Omega 3, curcumin, Valerian, 81mg Aspirin, L-Theanine, Vit. C, Link to comment
PapaBear Posted November 30, 2015 Author Share Posted November 30, 2015 Hi Ali and Andy, thank you for your comments. It is really good to read these! Unfortunately I made the mistake of trying a supplement with folic acid, b6 and b12. It is the third time I tried it and each time I got massive anxiety, headaches and had problems sleeping. I read the comments in some threads that esp. B12 might be too activating but I never thought it could be this problematic. I simply wanted to give it a try as many people report benefits for anxiety or depression. I think I will simply stick to my daily magnesia in the future and the occasional valerian root tablet which usually helps quite a lot. Any other supplement is banned from now on. - Paroxetine since more than 10years - 20mg for the first five year, then 10mg since - Several attempts to withdraw cold turkey following doctor's advise - Last attempt in spring 2015 to reduce 10 -> 5 -> 2.5 -> 0mg within 2 months -> Extreme wd problems - Reinstated with 10mg then down to 5mg again 04/01 5mg (tingling and muscle problems) 07/20 5mg (less problems) 08/20 4.95mg (muscle tightness, no more tingling sensations) 12/28 3.27mg (muscle tightness, numb feeling in feet and hands, light tingling sensations Link to comment
oskcajga Posted November 30, 2015 Share Posted November 30, 2015 Hi Ali and Andy, thank you for your comments. It is really good to read these! Unfortunately I made the mistake of trying a supplement with folic acid, b6 and b12. It is the third time I tried it and each time I got massive anxiety, headaches and had problems sleeping. I read the comments in some threads that esp. B12 might be too activating but I never thought it could be this problematic. I simply wanted to give it a try as many people report benefits for anxiety or depression. I think I will simply stick to my daily magnesia in the future and the occasional valerian root tablet which usually helps quite a lot. Any other supplement is banned from now on. B6, at even a small dose really really screwed me up for a while. It sent me down this current wave that I'm trying to get over, been a couple of weeks now since I've been feeling off since my experiment with B6. I take B12 every day without any problem. I also take supplements with folic acid without any problem. I'd recommend separating out those components and take one at a time. Link to comment
PapaBear Posted December 14, 2015 Author Share Posted December 14, 2015 Hi all, I am currently under the impression that everything is much more stressful than ever and that everything triggers a massive stress reaction in my body. I have no doubt that this is withdrawal related but I wonder if this will ever return to a basic level? I mean it seems that especially the lower doses are very hard to taper and it will still take some months/years to reduce the paroxetine. So do I have a chance to "normalize" in some way? Sometimes I have the impression that I would need to run a marathon each day to reduce the cortisol in my blood.. Or am I exxagerating and this is simply anxiety? Any thoughts are welcome :-) - Paroxetine since more than 10years - 20mg for the first five year, then 10mg since - Several attempts to withdraw cold turkey following doctor's advise - Last attempt in spring 2015 to reduce 10 -> 5 -> 2.5 -> 0mg within 2 months -> Extreme wd problems - Reinstated with 10mg then down to 5mg again 04/01 5mg (tingling and muscle problems) 07/20 5mg (less problems) 08/20 4.95mg (muscle tightness, no more tingling sensations) 12/28 3.27mg (muscle tightness, numb feeling in feet and hands, light tingling sensations Link to comment
MollyN Posted December 14, 2015 Share Posted December 14, 2015 Oh I hear you on the lower doses!! I've very close to you on paxil - recently dropped from 5ml to 4.8 .. too chicken to do a 10% drop! Sometimes the energy (is this cortisol?) that runs through my body is unbelievable - although to date I've not managed to put it too good use and gone for a run or some such thing. I suppose we just have to concentrate on the bigger picture - we are reducing - slowly slowly and one day we'll be writing our success stories! Drug history 20mg paxil in 2001 - 4 months use 20mg paxil in 2003 - 2 months use 20mg paxil in 2008 - 8 years continuous Withdrawal history: March 2014 - disastrous alternate day taper Jan 2015 - 15mg to 10mg. Disaster Sept 2015 - 10mg to 5mg. Disaster. Reinstated to 6mg. Relief Oct 2015 - started slow 10% taper Oct 2016 - at 4mg- stop taking paxil (not recommended) I'm not a medical professional. Seek advice from a knowledgeable medical practitioner. Link to comment
PapaBear Posted December 14, 2015 Author Share Posted December 14, 2015 Thanks Molly for your comment. It seems that I am particulary not good at looking at the bigger picture :-) Nevertheless I am looking forward to our success stories! - Paroxetine since more than 10years - 20mg for the first five year, then 10mg since - Several attempts to withdraw cold turkey following doctor's advise - Last attempt in spring 2015 to reduce 10 -> 5 -> 2.5 -> 0mg within 2 months -> Extreme wd problems - Reinstated with 10mg then down to 5mg again 04/01 5mg (tingling and muscle problems) 07/20 5mg (less problems) 08/20 4.95mg (muscle tightness, no more tingling sensations) 12/28 3.27mg (muscle tightness, numb feeling in feet and hands, light tingling sensations Link to comment
MollyN Posted December 15, 2015 Share Posted December 15, 2015 Can you believe our physicans recommended we go cold turkey - or the old 'one-day-on-one-day-off' chestnut?!. Man o' man... Drug history 20mg paxil in 2001 - 4 months use 20mg paxil in 2003 - 2 months use 20mg paxil in 2008 - 8 years continuous Withdrawal history: March 2014 - disastrous alternate day taper Jan 2015 - 15mg to 10mg. Disaster Sept 2015 - 10mg to 5mg. Disaster. Reinstated to 6mg. Relief Oct 2015 - started slow 10% taper Oct 2016 - at 4mg- stop taking paxil (not recommended) I'm not a medical professional. Seek advice from a knowledgeable medical practitioner. Link to comment
PapaBear Posted December 29, 2015 Author Share Posted December 29, 2015 Hi, I tried a 10% drop and so far I am feeling ok. I have increased muscle tension, mainly in my calves and some numbness in my right foot and left hand. Also a little bit of tingling and strange feeling in my face and partially the paxil eyes, as brassmonkey called them. Overall it is annoying and uncomfortable but tolerable. Let's see how the next days are? - Paroxetine since more than 10years - 20mg for the first five year, then 10mg since - Several attempts to withdraw cold turkey following doctor's advise - Last attempt in spring 2015 to reduce 10 -> 5 -> 2.5 -> 0mg within 2 months -> Extreme wd problems - Reinstated with 10mg then down to 5mg again 04/01 5mg (tingling and muscle problems) 07/20 5mg (less problems) 08/20 4.95mg (muscle tightness, no more tingling sensations) 12/28 3.27mg (muscle tightness, numb feeling in feet and hands, light tingling sensations Link to comment
Moderator Emeritus Petunia Posted January 1, 2016 Moderator Emeritus Share Posted January 1, 2016 Its good to hear your 10% drop is going well, those few increased symptoms should decrease over the next week or two. Let us know how it goes. 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 Link to comment
quitpaxil2015 Posted January 4, 2016 Share Posted January 4, 2016 Hi PapaBear, Glad to hear you are doing well after your last drop. I am sorry you are having umconfortable symptoms - hope they improve soon. Hang in there! Username: quitpaxil2015 - Started antidepressants sometime in 1990. Misdiagnosed with Bipolar, but later with thyroid disease in1998 (8 years of being on several different psychiatric meds with several psychiatric hospitalizations). Total thyroidectomy in 1999. At the time, was on 85 mg of Paxil. In 2001, tried to get off Paxil and had car crash due to vertigo and w/d symptoms. Given more psychiatric meds including Prozac and Trazodone to treat SEVERE w/d from Paxil - which is the only reason I still take Paxil. Tried to taper off Paxil again in 2004 - from 25 mg to 20 mg (5 mg cuts) - had to go back on 25 mg on the 10th day of the taper due to inability to function (dizziness, vertigo, motion sickness, crying spells, depersonalization, etc). Currently on Paxil 25 mg and Trazodone 100 mg. Trying to quit Paxil in 2015. April 22, 2015 - Paxil 22.5 mg. May 13, 2015 Paxil 20 mg. June 3, 2015 - Paxil 17.5 mg. June 24, 2015 - Paxil 15 mg. Don't remember - 12.5 mg. August 5, 2015 - Paxil 10 mg. September 16, 2015 - 7.5 mg (considering going back up - severe anxiety/panic) September 28, 2015 - back up to 10 mg. October 6, 2015 - back up to 15 mg. Link to comment
PapaBear Posted January 4, 2016 Author Share Posted January 4, 2016 Thank you Petunia and QP for checking in! So far the symptoms are manageable but of course I wish they wouldn't be there. Today I had some hot flashes and the feeling of being sick (px flu?). Also sports was very exhausting. I also had strange muscle sensations/muscle pressure around my left eye and the left side of my nose. Cheers, PB - Paroxetine since more than 10years - 20mg for the first five year, then 10mg since - Several attempts to withdraw cold turkey following doctor's advise - Last attempt in spring 2015 to reduce 10 -> 5 -> 2.5 -> 0mg within 2 months -> Extreme wd problems - Reinstated with 10mg then down to 5mg again 04/01 5mg (tingling and muscle problems) 07/20 5mg (less problems) 08/20 4.95mg (muscle tightness, no more tingling sensations) 12/28 3.27mg (muscle tightness, numb feeling in feet and hands, light tingling sensations Link to comment
quitpaxil2015 Posted January 4, 2016 Share Posted January 4, 2016 It sucks! I believe in you and you will make it!! Username: quitpaxil2015 - Started antidepressants sometime in 1990. Misdiagnosed with Bipolar, but later with thyroid disease in1998 (8 years of being on several different psychiatric meds with several psychiatric hospitalizations). Total thyroidectomy in 1999. At the time, was on 85 mg of Paxil. In 2001, tried to get off Paxil and had car crash due to vertigo and w/d symptoms. Given more psychiatric meds including Prozac and Trazodone to treat SEVERE w/d from Paxil - which is the only reason I still take Paxil. Tried to taper off Paxil again in 2004 - from 25 mg to 20 mg (5 mg cuts) - had to go back on 25 mg on the 10th day of the taper due to inability to function (dizziness, vertigo, motion sickness, crying spells, depersonalization, etc). Currently on Paxil 25 mg and Trazodone 100 mg. Trying to quit Paxil in 2015. April 22, 2015 - Paxil 22.5 mg. May 13, 2015 Paxil 20 mg. June 3, 2015 - Paxil 17.5 mg. June 24, 2015 - Paxil 15 mg. Don't remember - 12.5 mg. August 5, 2015 - Paxil 10 mg. September 16, 2015 - 7.5 mg (considering going back up - severe anxiety/panic) September 28, 2015 - back up to 10 mg. October 6, 2015 - back up to 15 mg. Link to comment
PapaBear Posted January 6, 2016 Author Share Posted January 6, 2016 Hi, I think the 10% drop shows its full effect now. I had severe morning anxiety yesterday and also my legs started trembling. It scares me a little bit as when this happened the last time I decided to reinstate full 10mg. I am not planning to do it but I think my next drop will be only 5% and only after I stabilized completely. I also have to deal with some family problems at the moment which only adds up to the problem. On the positive side the tingling and numbness subsided a little bit. Cheers, PB - Paroxetine since more than 10years - 20mg for the first five year, then 10mg since - Several attempts to withdraw cold turkey following doctor's advise - Last attempt in spring 2015 to reduce 10 -> 5 -> 2.5 -> 0mg within 2 months -> Extreme wd problems - Reinstated with 10mg then down to 5mg again 04/01 5mg (tingling and muscle problems) 07/20 5mg (less problems) 08/20 4.95mg (muscle tightness, no more tingling sensations) 12/28 3.27mg (muscle tightness, numb feeling in feet and hands, light tingling sensations Link to comment
AliG Posted January 6, 2016 Share Posted January 6, 2016 Hi PB. Happy New Year . I'm pleased to hear you're thinking of a 5% drop , after you are fully stabilized. I think that is wise. Try not to be too concerned about your symptoms. You know they are to be expected & what has caused them, so just try and ride it out rather than go into " panic mode". Maybe, practice acceptance and do some meditation and deep breathing, if you are feeling anxious. Some of the guided meditations, can be really helpful. I hope you find some relief, soon. Ali Many SSRI's and SSNRI's over 20 years. Zoloft for 7 years followed by Effexor, Lexapro, Prozac, Cymbalta, Celexa, Pristiq, Valdoxan, Mianserin and more - on and off. No tapering. Cold turkey off Valdoxan - end of May 2014 Psych Drug - free since May 2014 . Link to comment
PapaBear Posted January 7, 2016 Author Share Posted January 7, 2016 Many thanks for your nice words Ali! It was really good to read them! Today was my first day at work after 10days off and I must say it couldn't have been worse. I could hardly concentrate and in the morning my legs trembled so that I had panic that someone would come into my office and see me. This triggered more anxiety and the rest of the day I felt awful, experienced permanent anxiety and my body generating more and more stress hormones. I then did progressive muscle relaxation and spent an hour cycling but I still feel very tensed and anxious and fear about my health from all the stress. I usually have not so many problems coping with my problems at home but in the office I am often completely clueless on how to calm down. I maybe thought a hundred times about simply reinstating but something inside me resists... - Paroxetine since more than 10years - 20mg for the first five year, then 10mg since - Several attempts to withdraw cold turkey following doctor's advise - Last attempt in spring 2015 to reduce 10 -> 5 -> 2.5 -> 0mg within 2 months -> Extreme wd problems - Reinstated with 10mg then down to 5mg again 04/01 5mg (tingling and muscle problems) 07/20 5mg (less problems) 08/20 4.95mg (muscle tightness, no more tingling sensations) 12/28 3.27mg (muscle tightness, numb feeling in feet and hands, light tingling sensations Link to comment
Moderator Emeritus Fresh Posted January 8, 2016 Moderator Emeritus Share Posted January 8, 2016 Hi PapaBear , just a thought - are you taking any magnesium? It may help take the edge off at work , but is beneficial for overall healing anyway. Fresh 1987-1997 pertofran , prothiaden , Prozac 1997-2002 Zoloft 2002-2004 effexor 2004-2010 Lexapro 40mg 2010-2012Cymbalta 120mg Sept. 2012 -decreased 90mg in 6months. Care taken over by Dr Lucire in March 2013 , decreased last 30mg at 2mg per week over 3 months. July 21 , 2013- last dose of Cymbalta Protracted withdrawal syndrome kicked in badly Jan.2014 Unrelenting akathisia until May 2014. Voluntary hosp. admission. Cocktail of Seroquel, Ativan and mirtazapine and I was well enough to go home after 14 days. Stopped all hosp. meds in next few months. July 2014 felt v.depressed - couldn't stop crying. Started pristiq 50mg. Felt improvement within days and continued to improve, so stayed on 50mg for 8 months. Began taper 28 Feb. 2015. Pristiq 50mg down to 45mg. Had one month of w/d symptoms. Started CES therapy in March. No w/d symptoms down to 30mg. October 2015 , taking 25mg Pristiq. Capsules compounded with slow-release additive. March 2016 , 21mg Link to comment
AliG Posted January 8, 2016 Share Posted January 8, 2016 Hi Papabear, I noticed in your drug history signature, that you did a fast drop from 10 mg to 5mg and I'm wondering if that could be the cause for some of the problems you are experiencing, now . I'm unsure of the dates .You don't state. ( Maybe you could update that in your sig ) What date did you drop , and why such a significant amount , so quickly? I came across this today and thought it might help you with some of your anxiety, particularly when you're at work , and have no other avenues for any relief of symptoms. http://www.anxietycoach.com/claire-weekes.html Ali Many SSRI's and SSNRI's over 20 years. Zoloft for 7 years followed by Effexor, Lexapro, Prozac, Cymbalta, Celexa, Pristiq, Valdoxan, Mianserin and more - on and off. No tapering. Cold turkey off Valdoxan - end of May 2014 Psych Drug - free since May 2014 . Link to comment
PapaBear Posted January 8, 2016 Author Share Posted January 8, 2016 Hi AliG, thanks for the post. I will read the link immediately. My last try to taper was completed in spring last year when I tapered relatively quickly from 10 to 5 to 2.5 to 0mg. I had lots of withdrawal symptoms and finally decided to reinstate at 10mg. After two weeks with 10mg I've felt so good that I dropped down to 5mg which was ok for a while. Only then I discovered this webpage and decided to do a slow taper like it is recommended here. But before I was 1-2months at 0mg and then increased to 10. So surely the problems really started with the fast changes which I am avoiding now and the current problems are most probably still related to this phase. Thanks for asking about this !!! - Paroxetine since more than 10years - 20mg for the first five year, then 10mg since - Several attempts to withdraw cold turkey following doctor's advise - Last attempt in spring 2015 to reduce 10 -> 5 -> 2.5 -> 0mg within 2 months -> Extreme wd problems - Reinstated with 10mg then down to 5mg again 04/01 5mg (tingling and muscle problems) 07/20 5mg (less problems) 08/20 4.95mg (muscle tightness, no more tingling sensations) 12/28 3.27mg (muscle tightness, numb feeling in feet and hands, light tingling sensations Link to comment
PapaBear Posted January 8, 2016 Author Share Posted January 8, 2016 Hi Fresh, Thank you as well for your comment. Yes I take 200mg of Magnesium on a daily basis. I cannot tolerate more as then it affects my stomach. BR, PB - Paroxetine since more than 10years - 20mg for the first five year, then 10mg since - Several attempts to withdraw cold turkey following doctor's advise - Last attempt in spring 2015 to reduce 10 -> 5 -> 2.5 -> 0mg within 2 months -> Extreme wd problems - Reinstated with 10mg then down to 5mg again 04/01 5mg (tingling and muscle problems) 07/20 5mg (less problems) 08/20 4.95mg (muscle tightness, no more tingling sensations) 12/28 3.27mg (muscle tightness, numb feeling in feet and hands, light tingling sensations Link to comment
AliG Posted January 8, 2016 Share Posted January 8, 2016 Hi PB. That is a lot of changes, in a short period of time. As an Aussie, I have no idea when your Spring is . I assume it is our winter, which is June to August . Also you guys do your dates differently , to us. You do 12/28 . We do 28/12. Extremely confusing. Takes a while to work out. Just looked it up Spring: March - June :unsure:Anyway, the point is if you can stay stable from here on in , I think it will serve you well . http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/6632-the-rule-of-3kis-keep-it-simple-keep-it-slow-keep-it-stable/ Best wishes, Ali Many SSRI's and SSNRI's over 20 years. Zoloft for 7 years followed by Effexor, Lexapro, Prozac, Cymbalta, Celexa, Pristiq, Valdoxan, Mianserin and more - on and off. No tapering. Cold turkey off Valdoxan - end of May 2014 Psych Drug - free since May 2014 . Link to comment
Moderator Emeritus apace41 Posted January 8, 2016 Moderator Emeritus Share Posted January 8, 2016 Many thanks for your nice words Ali! It was really good to read them! Today was my first day at work after 10days off and I must say it couldn't have been worse. I could hardly concentrate and in the morning my legs trembled so that I had panic that someone would come into my office and see me. This triggered more anxiety and the rest of the day I felt awful, experienced permanent anxiety and my body generating more and more stress hormones. I then did progressive muscle relaxation and spent an hour cycling but I still feel very tensed and anxious and fear about my health from all the stress. I usually have not so many problems coping with my problems at home but in the office I am often completely clueless on how to calm down. I maybe thought a hundred times about simply reinstating but something inside me resists... PB, As promised on my thread I am long overdue to comment on yours. You are a good man and have been someone who has provided me with plenty of support during my journey and for that I am very grateful. First, however, an editorial message to our Aussie friend, AliG -- IT"S NOT THAT HARD! I understand that members of the Commonwealth all under the original British flag from which we so umceremoniously broke away (yes, we kicked their arses!), don't like the fact that we do things differently when it comes to dates, etc., but you, AliG are an EXTREMELY bright woman and I have a hard time believing you can't figure out what the season are over here. Come clean and tell us that you are overstating that. OK, editorial done. PB, you are suffering in large part from what I (and Bubble and others) am suffering from which is the inability to have self-compassion. Your expectations of yourself during withdrawal are unreasonably high. Working a full-time, high-stress job, exercising and trying to keep it all in check is really very difficult. Your situation parallels mine in that you had an extended time off and then found it really hard to deal when you went back into the pressured environment of work. Even if the particular day was not that crazy at work the very fact that you are there is stressful. You can't simply "do nothing" which you can when you are on vacation. Other people place demands on you and you are not in a position to say know whether those people are bosses, colleagues, clients, etc. The very fact that you are able to go to work and survive (and at times thrive) is a huge plus that should not be taken for granted. Coming up with a series of coping mechanisms that reduce stress levels is the key but can be very hard. On the list would be meditation, yoga, exercise, walking, herbal tea (I like chamomile for relaxation), essential oils (try a little lavender under your nose), tapping, acupressure (self massage), music, journaling, adult coloring books, qi gong, tai chi, breathing exercises and any others that I've missed. If you work at it I'm confident that you will find something that will help you overcome those challenging moments in the office. Sometimes it helps to remove yourself from the location for a short while just to provide "proof" to yourself that you can. Most importantly, however, you need to honor yourself for getting where you are and keeping it all together. You will be successful in this endeavor. Best, Andy Sertraline 50mg and Clonazapam .375mg from 2000 -- symptoms of dizziness Spring 2012 increased to .5 Clonazapam and 100mg Sertraline -- no improvement Benzo microtaper from November 2012 to November 2014 (followed benzo sites "taper benzo first") Started Sertraline taper in December 2014 cut by 25mg to 75mg; 62.5mg 1/1/15 and 50mg on 2/1/15 Held at 50mg through April 5 to use liquid Reduced dosage in 10% or less drops from 50mg to 25mg -- at single tablet of 25mg on 10/5/15 Transitioned to all liquid for accuracy while tapering -- Horrible insomnia -- back to 25mg liquid and held until October 1, 2016 10/16 -- 11/18 tapered very slowly to 10.6mg. No real improvement and never really stable so updosed to 12.5mg (1/2 a pill) for convenience and long hold. After 8+ months of holding with no noticeable improvement decided to add .4ml of liquid Prozac (about 1.5mg) to see if that improves the situation Supplements, Magnesium, D3, Omega 3, curcumin, Valerian, 81mg Aspirin, L-Theanine, Vit. C, Link to comment
AliG Posted January 8, 2016 Share Posted January 8, 2016 Ok. Yes , it was a little bit of fun. !! Not totally serious ! I did put a smiley face. Your dates are odd, though . Not backing down from that !! LOL. Many SSRI's and SSNRI's over 20 years. Zoloft for 7 years followed by Effexor, Lexapro, Prozac, Cymbalta, Celexa, Pristiq, Valdoxan, Mianserin and more - on and off. No tapering. Cold turkey off Valdoxan - end of May 2014 Psych Drug - free since May 2014 . Link to comment
PapaBear Posted March 22, 2016 Author Share Posted March 22, 2016 Hi, Sorry for not posting an update earlier but my days at work were very busy and I was too exhausted to write anything. I reduced my last dose by 5% beginning of March and I must say that most (strange) physical symptoms have vanished now. I no longer have tingling or crawling sensations, no muscle issues and no other things that lead me to believe that I could have MS or a similar disorder. What remains is the strange different dilation of my pupils (anisocoria) that comes and goes but somehow I also got used to it. From a negative side however I have much more anxiety now, trouble sleeping and feel very prone to stress. Especially mornings are very difficult and I often feel the urge to stay at home sick instead of going to work. I still have the feeling that my body is producing adrenaline and cortisol 24/7 and that is what scares me most. I am really afraid that this will make me sick in some way and is frustrating that all sports, meditation and relaxation seem to have no effect. Sometimes I wonder whether I have an adrenal or pituary gland tumor but reading other stories it seems to be always the case that the withdrawal has messed up the endocrine system. What bothers me most is that eg a 30min but maybe stressful meeting at work suffices to have my body produce cortisol/adrenaline until nighttime although I meditate for 2x45min afterwards and cycle for 45min in the evening. Is there anything I could do here which would help my body respond less immense? Sometime I think about reinstating as I am too scared to continue my taper. BR/PB - Paroxetine since more than 10years - 20mg for the first five year, then 10mg since - Several attempts to withdraw cold turkey following doctor's advise - Last attempt in spring 2015 to reduce 10 -> 5 -> 2.5 -> 0mg within 2 months -> Extreme wd problems - Reinstated with 10mg then down to 5mg again 04/01 5mg (tingling and muscle problems) 07/20 5mg (less problems) 08/20 4.95mg (muscle tightness, no more tingling sensations) 12/28 3.27mg (muscle tightness, numb feeling in feet and hands, light tingling sensations Link to comment
Moderator Emeritus apace41 Posted March 22, 2016 Moderator Emeritus Share Posted March 22, 2016 I reduced my last dose by 5% beginning of March and I must say that most (strange) physical symptoms have vanished now. I no longer have tingling or crawling sensations, no muscle issues and no other things that lead me to believe that I could have MS or a similar disorder. First off, PB, let's look at the good news. This is awesome! This should be proof positive to you that you are healing and should help ease your mind overall. I hope you see this as the major plus that it is. From a negative side however I have much more anxiety now, trouble sleeping and feel very prone to stress. Especially mornings are very difficult and I often feel the urge to stay at home sick instead of going to work. I still have the feeling that my body is producing adrenaline and cortisol 24/7 and that is what scares me most. I am really afraid that this will make me sick in some way and is frustrating that all sports, meditation and relaxation seem to have no effect. Unfortunately, healing does not occur for all symptoms in a linear fashion. You are getting hit by the fact that your cortisol rhythms are out of whack. It sucks but it is not going to affect an otherwise healthy person over the longer term. I would try really hard to let go of that thought. All of the things you do, such as meditation, exercise and relaxation, have a cumulative effect that often is not going to be noticed in the immediate sense but will help strengthen your system (brain, CNS, immune system, etc.) to make you better able to cope over time. Have you tried magnesium -- specifically, have you tried spray-on magnesium? You can use larger quantities because it doesn't result in so-called "disaster pants." If you haven't tried that I would recommend getting some 99.9% bioavailable spray on magnesium and carrying that around with you during the day. It might make a difference. I know this part sucks, PB (as an aside I'm going through increased anxiety as well so I can empathize), but you will get through this and continue on your journey. Take pride in how far you have come. Best, Andy Sertraline 50mg and Clonazapam .375mg from 2000 -- symptoms of dizziness Spring 2012 increased to .5 Clonazapam and 100mg Sertraline -- no improvement Benzo microtaper from November 2012 to November 2014 (followed benzo sites "taper benzo first") Started Sertraline taper in December 2014 cut by 25mg to 75mg; 62.5mg 1/1/15 and 50mg on 2/1/15 Held at 50mg through April 5 to use liquid Reduced dosage in 10% or less drops from 50mg to 25mg -- at single tablet of 25mg on 10/5/15 Transitioned to all liquid for accuracy while tapering -- Horrible insomnia -- back to 25mg liquid and held until October 1, 2016 10/16 -- 11/18 tapered very slowly to 10.6mg. No real improvement and never really stable so updosed to 12.5mg (1/2 a pill) for convenience and long hold. After 8+ months of holding with no noticeable improvement decided to add .4ml of liquid Prozac (about 1.5mg) to see if that improves the situation Supplements, Magnesium, D3, Omega 3, curcumin, Valerian, 81mg Aspirin, L-Theanine, Vit. C, Link to comment
Moderator Emeritus ChessieCat Posted March 22, 2016 Moderator Emeritus Share Posted March 22, 2016 Hi PapaBear, AliG has already mentioned Claire Weekes. Here is a link to an audio of hers plus some other things you might find helpful: Audio: How to Recover from Anxiety - Dr Claire Weekes Audio: First Aid for Panic (4 minutes) Resources: Centre for Clinical Interventions (PDF modules that you can work through, eg: Depression, Distress Intolerance, Health Anxiety, Low Self-Esteem, Panic Attacks, Perfectionism, Procrastination, Social Anxiety, Worrying) CBT Course: An Introductory Self-Help Course in Cognitive Behaviour Therapy I have found that mindfulness and CBT skills definitely help because I can recognise what is happening and I have learnt techniques to minimise the distress that an issue causes. * NO LONGER ACTIVE on SA * MISSION ACCOMPLISHED: (6 year taper) 0mg Pristiq on 13th November 2021 ADs since ~1992: 25+ years - 1 unknown, Prozac (muscle weakness), Zoloft; citalopram (pooped out) CTed (very sick for 2.5 wks a few months after); Pristiq: 50mg 2012, 100mg beg 2013 (Serotonin Toxicity) Tapering from Oct 2015 - 13 Nov 2021 LAST DOSE 0.0025mg Post 0 updates start here My tapering program My Intro (goes to tapering graph) VIDEO: Antidepressant Withdrawal Syndrome and its Management Link to comment
AliG Posted March 22, 2016 Share Posted March 22, 2016 PB. If you use the spray , though , ( magnesium ) just know that it stings ! Personally , I don't like it ! Good in theory , but it hurts . Many SSRI's and SSNRI's over 20 years. Zoloft for 7 years followed by Effexor, Lexapro, Prozac, Cymbalta, Celexa, Pristiq, Valdoxan, Mianserin and more - on and off. No tapering. Cold turkey off Valdoxan - end of May 2014 Psych Drug - free since May 2014 . Link to comment
Moderator Emeritus apace41 Posted March 22, 2016 Moderator Emeritus Share Posted March 22, 2016 PB. If you use the spray , though , ( magnesium ) just know that it stings ! Personally , I don't like it ! Good in theory , but it hurts . You Aussies. You claim to be SOOOOOO tough, but a little Mg spray is too much for your sensitive skin. Sheesh! In all honesty, PB, Ali is right -- it does sting a little. Of course, I was dumb enough to rub it on my neck right after shaving so.... I got used to it and like it a lot. Better a little pain than the runs.... Best, Andy Sertraline 50mg and Clonazapam .375mg from 2000 -- symptoms of dizziness Spring 2012 increased to .5 Clonazapam and 100mg Sertraline -- no improvement Benzo microtaper from November 2012 to November 2014 (followed benzo sites "taper benzo first") Started Sertraline taper in December 2014 cut by 25mg to 75mg; 62.5mg 1/1/15 and 50mg on 2/1/15 Held at 50mg through April 5 to use liquid Reduced dosage in 10% or less drops from 50mg to 25mg -- at single tablet of 25mg on 10/5/15 Transitioned to all liquid for accuracy while tapering -- Horrible insomnia -- back to 25mg liquid and held until October 1, 2016 10/16 -- 11/18 tapered very slowly to 10.6mg. No real improvement and never really stable so updosed to 12.5mg (1/2 a pill) for convenience and long hold. After 8+ months of holding with no noticeable improvement decided to add .4ml of liquid Prozac (about 1.5mg) to see if that improves the situation Supplements, Magnesium, D3, Omega 3, curcumin, Valerian, 81mg Aspirin, L-Theanine, Vit. C, Link to comment
PapaBear Posted March 23, 2016 Author Share Posted March 23, 2016 Thanks ChessieCat for the links. I didn't know them and they seem to be really useful. I really appreciate your help! As usual thank you Andy for always being at my side. I really owe you for your companionship in this forum. I would have given up a thousand times without your support! And of course thanks to the person from the other side of the earth. I always have to laugh about your comments in response to Andy. I will try to hang on. Many thanks - this is highly appreciated. PB - Paroxetine since more than 10years - 20mg for the first five year, then 10mg since - Several attempts to withdraw cold turkey following doctor's advise - Last attempt in spring 2015 to reduce 10 -> 5 -> 2.5 -> 0mg within 2 months -> Extreme wd problems - Reinstated with 10mg then down to 5mg again 04/01 5mg (tingling and muscle problems) 07/20 5mg (less problems) 08/20 4.95mg (muscle tightness, no more tingling sensations) 12/28 3.27mg (muscle tightness, numb feeling in feet and hands, light tingling sensations Link to comment
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