mary2: Paxil

[AliG]

High cortisol - low adrenals & thyroid. Low cortisol - still an imbalance. It's a common story brought on by the drugs. What is the answer ? Get off the drugs and restore balance. How ? Diet and lifestyle. Raw veggies/ fruit  are great as well as exercise and avoiding " plastic/ chemical laden " foods .

 

Do these drugs affect the brain ? Yes .

All of this is reversible .You don't have Alzheimer's but we have all felt that way at times.

A healthy lifestyle will eventually restore the equilibrium. Read & research.

Ali

[SkyBlue]

High cortisol - low adrenals & thyroid. Low cortisol - still an imbalance. It's a common story brought on by the drugs. What is the answer ? Get off the drugs and restore balance. How ? Diet and lifestyle. Raw veggies/ fruit  are great as well as exercise and avoiding " plastic/ chemical laden " foods .

 

Do these drugs affect the brain ? Yes .

All of this is reversible .You don't have Alzheimer's but we have all felt that way at times.

A healthy lifestyle will eventually restore the equilibrium. Read & research.

Ali

 

 

Hi Mary,

AliG's wonderful words are golden. 

 

Low cortisol can be the second stage after having too much cortisol. First your body is pumping out way too much, just to keep you alive and functioning. Then it's like it gets tired and it's not pumping out enough. Like AliG said, there needs to be a balance.

 

I did take some supplements last year (a ton of supplements designed to help regulate this situation) but supplements can be tricky in withdrawal. Our poor nervous systems are so out of whack.

 

Thank you Ali for the reminder that all of this is reversible! 

[mary2]

WELL, just sending my latest. I started my wd in sept 2014 and I reduced 10% every 2 weeks for a year. I then crashed, depression, no desire to do anything, headaches. So I stayed put from Spring 2016 to autumn 2016.

 

3 weeks ago, i tried a 4% cut, after a week, terrible headaches. This is just to say that even such low cuts (at low doses) can hurt. I have decided to go for 2% cuts. I am back with my weighing machine. and tablet.

I never thought that I would run into these problems. But I am more or less stable now. Your 3 s , altostrata, now make sense. thank you .

[mary2]

Everyone , I can manage on TWO per cent cuts per 3 weeks, Amazingly low but otherwise I get terrible headaches. No problem , if it takes me another 2 years I don t care . I am down to about 3 mg of Paxil from a 20 mg dose.

I feel WONDERFUL but also because I have forced myself to do some exercise, work that i LIKE, distanced negatve people who now treat me better. The terrible apathy of last year has gone. I would sooner prefer years of withdrawal than go thro that apathy. I had gone down 2 weeks. I will certainly be making antoher contribution . You guys have saved me.

Ps does anyone remember the omega 3 best brands?

[mary2]

Oh by the way, since I do 2 per cent cuts, the chronic fatigue has gone. Actually, I slightly increased by mistake and the tiredness went away, so i realised that I had been having that wd symptom.

[scallywag]

Good to hear that the "Listen to your body" plan is working for you.  Thank you for posting your positive update.

[SkyBlue]

Everyone , I can manage on TWO per cent cuts per 3 weeks, Amazingly low but otherwise I get terrible headaches. No problem , if it takes me another 2 years I don t care . I am down to about 3 mg of Paxil from a 20 mg dose.

I feel WONDERFUL but also because I have forced myself to do some exercise, work that i LIKE, distanced negatve people who now treat me better. The terrible apathy of last year has gone. I would sooner prefer years of withdrawal than go thro that apathy. I had gone down 2 weeks. I will certainly be making antoher contribution . You guys have saved me.

Ps does anyone remember the omega 3 best brands?

 

 

Hi Mary! 

Glad to know you are doing well and that the 2% cuts are working. You are making really awesome self-care decisions too--congrats! ! !!

I feel similarly about going longer but having the withdrawal hopefully be less intense. Of course, we want to be off it NOW--but this seems like the next best thing.

 

For fish oil, I love Nordic Naturals. It's expensive, however. I get the actual oil because I can just pour it in water and drink it. Somewhere on the site Alto posted about how with fish oil, more expensive isn't necessarily better. I should actually check into that and save myself a few bucks.

 

Keep up the great work! 

[mary2]

I am one of the oldies of  the forum.  I need advice on above drug (alprazolam - new topic merged with Intro).  I took it for anxious moments daily and then reduced it to  2/3 times a week. The dose of 10 drops =0.75  of alzaprom.  NOW I realise that the present weakness I have, is probably due to me dropping it drastically.  I thought I d take about 6 drops till I stabilise or is it better to go back up to 10 drops.  ?? I got the tiredness about 2.5 weeks ago which I think coincided with the drop in alzaprom.  

The tiredness could ALSO be due to my reducing by 2/3 my cortisone tablets for 2 months.  I know I sound irresponsible but usually I am not.   I have been back on my cortisone tablets about 3/4 weeks but no change in tiredness.  I take cortisone for mal functioning of adrenals.

  I also take zolpidem 10 mg  to sleep per day but I don t think it is this which is causing the terrible tiredness.  

thank you in advance

my profile below is way out of date..

 

Edited June 5, 2018 by ChessieCat
added drug name after merging new Intro with old

[ChessieCat]

Hi Mary,

 

I merged the new intro you created with your original Intro topic.  Each member has only 1 Intro topic.  This keeps a member's history in one place.  This is where you ask questions and journal your progress.

 

11 hours ago, mary2 said:

my profile below is way out of date..

 

Here is the link to update your signature:  Account Settings – Create or Edit a signature

 

Please only include dates, drugs, doses.  Please do not include symptoms or diagnoses - the mods need to be able to see the drug info at a glance.  Thank you.

 

I've asked the other mods to check in on you.

[Skeeter]

Mary,

As you fund out, cutting a corticosteroid quickly can cause a flurry of symptoms, as you undoubtedly found out.  I am sorry if it was terrible.  That has to be tapered very slowly, maybe even more slowly than a doctor would suggest, but up to you.   Your tiredness may very much be a result of the steroid changes.  If you are having an okay taper of your alprazolam, you may want to consider holding until things return to normal. .Plenadren is not a drug we normally deal with here, if your doc wants you to reduce to see if your adrenals and your pituitary gland are playing nice again miraculously, do the rest of the taper carefully.  It will allow your adrenals the time they need to kick in if they are going to.  I know the side effects can be absolutely horrible from taking corticosteroids.  I can understand the urge to not want to take them, if that is what made you stop taking much of your dose.  Please read up on withdrawing from them safely, but only if your doc agrees.  The term "adrenal fatigue" is thrown around a lot, but does not apply to someone dx with hypoadrenalism.  This is  far different from hypoadrenalism, so diet alone most likely will never cure what ails you on its own.

 

Tiredness/fatigue/weakness is a classic sign of WD from cortico's. .  You may be on a steady dose now, but your body may not be so quick to forgive.  If you continue to have issues, or, to be a really good patient, check in with them anyway, and  make sure it did not cause you any issues - so you may choose to consult your endocrinologist to make sure that everything is okay.  I suggest admitting that you did something inadvisable, you are not the first patient to do that. I have transferred people via ambulance who have done what you did, but worse (stopped taking it), and boy were they in trouble, critical, even in one case.  We are all human, after all, and we make mistakes, but the doc needs all of the facts.  If you are having other unusual signs or symptoms, please check in with your doctor right away. Below is a site with WD symptoms.  There is not really any info I could find on lowering your dose and then raising it back up which is why I think you should consult your doc.  They may want to do bloodwork.

https://www.medicinenet.com/steroid_withdrawal/article.htm

 

Note.  If you ever do (SLOWLY) stop the corticosteroid, you will need to keep some around for about a year after you complete your taper, because any stressful event may require a dose if signs/symptoms appear in concert with the stressor.

 

Be well!

Skeeter

Edited June 6, 2018 by Skeeter
restated confusing comment

[mary2]

I need to reduce Lormetazepam and I presently take 10 drops.i also take 10mg of zolpidem.

I find the zolpidem makes me sleep more than  lormetazepam .

I tried diluting the bottle of medicine with the  exact quantity of alcohol to weaken the strength but the mixture was obviously too thin cos dropper released more than usual.  Any solutions? A thickner?

 

All the info below is out of date. 

Edited September 20, 2021 by mary2

[Altostrata]

Hello, @mary2

 

Have you tried an oral syringe? See Using an oral syringe and other tapering techniques

[mary2]

Lormetazepan

 

1) I was taking 10 drops of Lormetazepan =1mg

2) Initially, I dropped from 10 to 9 drops

3) I switched to TABLET form to be able to decrease it easily.

4) After a month, I dropped by 5% of the previous cut.

5) After this last cut and after 4 weeks I m having mood swings and brief electric shocks in my head.  I am obviously doing something wrong.  Can you advise?

 

Other medicines:

1)Zolpidem

2) Plenadren (time release cortisone for low adrenal production

3)Tirosint 50 for low thyroid output

 

Edited November 12, 2021 by ChessieCat
added Intro topic title before merging with intro topic

[ChessieCat]

On 9/25/2021 at 3:25 PM, Altostrata said:

Have you tried an oral syringe?

 

Please answer Alto's question.  Thank you.

[mary2]

Chessie and Alto

I m trying to get round the site. 

YES I ve just seen the syringe method and i will adopt it. As I am frazzled, can you put a link to amazon to find the right syringes or a mix of so that i can buy them?

[mary2]

Mary2 again. WHICH size syringe would be best for me.? I m decreasing from 9mg LORMetazapam .an Amazon link would be really helpful as i am confused. thank you

[ChessieCat]

This topic has information about syringes:

 

how-to-make-a-liquid-from-tablets-or-capsules

 

The size you get will depend on whether you are going to dilute your prescription liquid which makes it easier to measure a dose and more accurate.  I bought 1mL, 3mL, 5mL and 10mL syringes and put sticky tape around the cylinder so that the numbers didn't wear off.

 

One of the members bought an adjustable volume pipette.  See this post (and there is another post further down the page): 

 

 

[ChessieCat]

The syringes that I bought have what is called "slip tip".  You can see pictures of the different types on the page that I bought mine from (in Australia)

 

www.ebay.com.au/itm/Syringes-1ml-3ml-5ml-10ml-20ml-30ml-50ml-Nipro-Suit-Luer-Slip-Lock-Syringe

 

 

I found these on amazon.co.uk:

 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Ciringe-Refilling-Syringes

 

Contains: 5 x 1ml, 5 x 3ml, 5 x 5ml, 5 x 10ml

 

The price works out to about the same as what I paid for mine here in Australia.

 

Please note:  I do NOT know what the postage costs.

[Altostrata]

You may be able to get oral syringes from a veterinarian, as explained in our topics. They should be very inexpensive.

[Melissa03]

@mary2 did you manage to taper paroxetine completely ?

[mary2]

I Hopefully someone will move the post.

I need some anaysis

1)I scaled down citalapram from 20 mg to 7 mg about 6 mths ago. little or no side effects.

2)I decided to scale down Minias from 1 mg (10 drops) but this has created problems. I went back to 1mg till i stabilise. I will then use the syringe method and go down about 2 % a time

3) I NEED to sleep so I take zolpidem, about 15 mg 

 

Can someone confirm that Zolpidem has a short emivita  and creates fewer withdrawal problems than Minias, not that i intend to cease taking it for the moment?

 

I m still in withdrawal mode with Minias and will wait it out.

 

Any advice welcome.  Sorry if my post is confused . 

I d appreciate someone writing the STEPS i should take to POST. 

thank you kindly

 

 

 

 

[getofflex]

Please post here in your introduction topic.  It is under Introductions and Updates in the Support forum.  This is your one thread to ask questions about your situation, and keep us updated. 

[mary2]

On 11/16/2021 at 6:45 PM, Melissa03 said:

@mary2 did you manage to taper paroxetine completely ?

Melissa,

as I was given OTHER drugs the paroxetine was simply substituted by Citalapram! . So, no big success.

[mary2]

I have NO problems reducing Citalapram by 5%

 

I NEED to sleep and I ve noticed that my zolpidem, 25 mg, stops working after a while .   So I now take Zanax 0 .50 g. 

I presume it s because the work on different receptors. 

I have a selection of drugs which might help me to sleep including 

EN, ALPRAZOLAM DIAZEPAM , lormetazepam permanent at 10mg. Now and again Melatonin.

My idea is to alternate zolpidem and zanax and melatonin until I get rid of the Citalapram.

Of the NATURAL supplements which ones are the best for SLEEP?

Instead of FISH omega, could I take linseed oil and seeds?  

thank you 

Could you enable replies to my email box _?

 

 

[Onmyway]

Dear @Mary2, please post your updates into this thread and do not start any more intro threads. Use the reply button at the bottom of this thread to write new posts. 

 

OMW

Edited December 13, 2021 by Onmyway

[mary2]

Sleep!

 

Hopefully I m posting in the right place this time!

under Create new topic??

----------------------------------------

i have no problems reducing Citalapram but I have huge problems SLEEPING. I no longer am depressed. 

i  have an array of sleeping tabs which no longer work cos of habit.

I ve got to 5 tablets of Zolpidem (so 50 mg !) and I try to alternate them with 12 mg of  lormetazepam and even Zanax. I ve worked out that sometimes zolpidem works and sometimes Lormetazepam and I wonder how long I could take one before switching to the other ?  I have the impression also that Zolpidem would be easier to eliminate cos it has a short lifespan. 

Thank you

I d like to receive via email ONLY answers to my query but I couldn t work out which boxes to tick.  Sorry about my technical slowness .....

ps Can someone remove the PAXIL connection cos I no longer take this and it is no longer on the bottom line .

 

 

Edited December 19, 2021 by ChessieCat
added Intro topic title before merging with intro topic

[Shep]

On 11/19/2021 at 2:03 PM, mary2 said:

1)I scaled down citalapram from 20 mg to 7 mg about 6 mths ago. little or no side effects.

2)I decided to scale down Minias from 1 mg (10 drops) but this has created problems. I went back to 1mg till i stabilise. I will then use the syringe method and go down about 2 % a time

3) I NEED to sleep so I take zolpidem, about 15 mg 

 

On 12/19/2021 at 2:02 AM, mary2 said:

i have no problems reducing Citalapram but I have huge problems SLEEPING. I no longer am depressed. 

i  have an array of sleeping tabs which no longer work cos of habit.

 

@mary2Please note that insomnia is a symptom of Citalapram withdrawal. So you likely are tapering too fast or too soon. 

 

Continuing to cycle through various benzos and z-drugs is destabilizing your nervous system and likely causing kindling, which is trauma to your nervous system. 

 

I would stop tapering the Citalapram and work on getting your benzo and z-drug use under control before you crash your nervous system.

 

Please post if you would like help with your benzo and z-drug use. 

 

 

 

 

[mary2]

I don't understand Rhianon s cutting of citalapram with liquid.

 

 

Rhianon wrote this:

"My current dose is 5.25 mg of citalopram, so given the dilution I'm using (10 mg in 20 mL) I measure 10.5 mL as my daily dose."

 

I understand this: you DOUBLE the amount of WATER added to the mgs?? My tablet contains 20 mg . My current dose is 6mg

 

1)How much water/alcohol do I add to it . 

 

2) do i put the solution in the fridge 

 

3) every day how much do I put in my syringe? Is  morning better cos it s an activator and not a calmer like valium?

 

4) if I m on 6 mg how much water do i add ? Or do i base myself on the 20mg tablet? I ll have to make up the solution every 3/4 days???

 

Thank you 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

All of this could be adapted easily to using syringes for measurement instead of a pipette.

Edited March 9, 2022 by ChessieCat
added topic title before merging with intro topic/spacing/resized

[mary2]

Shep

Thanks for feedback 12/1921. 

I don t know how  to change my profile.

I switched completely to valium  following the benzo buddy advice and I take 9mg. 

I no longer feel depressed and I m on 6mg of citalapram and the benzo buddy forum advises to decrease the anti depressant FIRST because it is a stimulator and benzos are calmers. 

So I was thinking of doing that. What do you  think? 

 

 

[ChessieCat]

1 hour ago, mary2 said:

I don t know how  to change my profile.

 

This link goes straight to your drug signature.  Remember to click Save when you have finished.

 

Account Settings – Create or Edit a signature

[ChessieCat]

1 hour ago, mary2 said:

benzo buddy forum advises to decrease the anti depressant FIRST because it is a stimulator and benzos are calmers. 

So I was thinking of doing that. What do you  think? 

 

SA suggests the same thing:

 

Taking multiple psych drugs? Which drug to taper first?
If you're not having an adverse reaction from the other medications, taper the most activating drug first. This is usually an antidepressant or stimulant (ADHD drug).

[ChessieCat]

1 hour ago, mary2 said:

My tablet contains 20 mg . My current dose is 6mg

 

1)How much water/alcohol do I add to it . 

 

2) do i put the solution in the fridge 

 

3) every day how much do I put in my syringe? Is  morning better cos it s an activator and not a calmer like valium?

 

4) if I m on 6 mg how much water do i add ? Or do i base myself on the 20mg tablet? I ll have to make up the solution every 3/4 days???

 

If you are changing from tablet to liquid it is suggested to do a "cross over" which is gentler on your system.  You do this without making a reduction.  See:

 

cross-over-changing-form-eg-tablet-to-liquid-of-drug-or-changing-brand-of-same-drug

 

If you add a 20mg tablet to 20mL of water then each 1mL of liquid will contain 1mg citalopram.  To get 6mg dose of citalopram you would measure and take 6mL of the liquid.

 

If you have difficulties measuring an amount then you can add more water to change the ratio.  For example, 20mg tablet in 40mL water each 1mL of liquid will contain 0.5mg citalopram.  To get 6mg dose of citalopram you would measure and take 12mL of the liquid

 

Yes, you keep the remaining liquid in a covered container in the fridge.  You will get 3 x 6mg doses (total 18mg) from 20mg.  Discard the left over.

 

The liquid will keep for about 3-4 days in the fridge.

 

I suggest that when your dose gets lower that you ask for 10mg tablets if they are available.  10mg tablet added to 10mL of water will be 1mg dose in 1mL liquid.

 

Antidepressants are generally taken in the morning.  There are some SA members who find that their AD makes them sleepy so they might decide to take them at night.

 

If you are currently taking your citalopram at night and it does not seem to be causing any issues with your sleep then you can continue to take it then.  It is important to take it at about the same time every day.

 

If you are taking it at night and wish to move it to the morning, it is suggested that you move it forward by 1 hour each day until you are taking it at the morning time that suits you.  It is best to only make one change at a time.  So you would not make a reduction and/or change to liquid at the same time as moving the dose.

 

the-rule-of-3kis-keep-it-simple-keep-it-slow-keep-it-stable

[mary2]

One last question: how much percentage do I decrease and how frequently? 

I notice that my Gemini 20 is not accurate. 

I'm actually on 6.5 mg of citalapram and if i reduce by 10% it means 5.85mg . How do measure this with syringe? Thank you

[mary2]

Sudden depression

 

I m withdrawing from citalapram 2.5%per week. So real slow. I m at 6mg
I m taking magnesium malate x 4 ,melatonin 2mg . At the beginning all well. I cannot sleep without bit of   minias. Now i m taking 2 and still sleep badly. I m holding on 50 drops of valium which i intended  to cut after the citalopram.  Why am i depressed? I had huge problems with husband but they are resolved alth the hurt remains. I was thinking of upping the anti depressant till I feel better. I take medicine for hypothyroidism.Any ideas ?

 

Edited April 20, 2022 by ChessieCat
added Intro topic title before merging with intro topic

[Shep]

4 hours ago, mary2 said:

I cannot sleep without bit of   minias. Now i m taking 2 and still sleep badly.

 

What is minias?

[ChessieCat]

52 minutes ago, Shep said:

 

What is minias?

 

https://www.catalog.md/drugs/minias.html

 

I think it might be this:

 

Lormetazepam, sold under the brand name Noctamid among others, is a drug which is a short to intermediate acting 3-hydroxy benzodiazepine derivative and temazepam analogue. It possesses hypnotic, anxiolytic, anticonvulsant, sedative, and skeletal muscle relaxant properties.Wikipedia