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☼ Coldturkmama: Paxil 14 years, cold turkey, protracted withdrawal


coldturkmama

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Hi I'm not sure but do u have body pain. I have pain in the right side of my back for 2 years and I'm to scared to go to Drs in case it's something serous. How I hate this all

I have pain doggiemama. My muscles hurt all over my body and I have burning skin that comes and goes. Not fun let me tell ya! 

Took 10 mg of Lexapro for 15 years. Started to taper in October 2015. Took last 1mg dose in March 2016. Started having side effects end of March 2016. Symptoms include: anxiety, heart palpitations, shaky, chronic fatigue, body feels like lead(so heavy), brain fog and dizziness and really bad pain especially on right side of body. 

 

Symptoms as of 10/18/16- Burning skin, widespread body pain, some insomnia, some fatigue, some brain fog, anxiety upon waking up, numbing and tremor in pinky and ring finger on left hand, cracking/popping/stiff joints. 

 

Symptoms as of 4/19/17- A little burning skin, muscle pain, FATIGUE, some brain fog, tremor in pinky and ring finger on left hand, cracking/popping/stiff joints, blurry vision, eye floaters, sciatica.

 

Symptoms as of 10/3/17- Physical symptoms-- Very little burning skin that comes and goes, some muscle and nerve pain that comes and goes, tremor in pinky and ring finger, muscle twitches, cortisol spike in the morning(heart palpitations), cracking/popping joints all those this has gotten a little better lately, blurry vision and eye floaters that come and go, sciatica(less intense now), fatigue which is still very bad but better than a year ago. Mental symptoms-- Depression, anxiety, hopelessness, lack of motivation or interest, brain fog(trouble focusing and concentrating), ruminating thoughts. All these come and go. 

 

 

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I do.

My legs have felt heavy as tree trunks. I've had shin pain in the first if withdrawal and major lower back pain. My back would go out for years before I got off the stuff and since my first two years of withdrawal my back pain hasn't been nearly as bad. Yay!!

Paxil 20mg from 1998-2011 

Paxil 40mg from 2011-2012 while experiencing poopout

October 2013 quit cold turkey

Oct-mid Nov 2013 great window

Late November WD nightmare 

Windows and waves pattern 

Now: 28 months cold turkey...doing decent learning to deal with the windows/waves pattern fighting it every step of the way. 

Link to comment

yay for windows!

 

love your positive attitude...stay strong,we're getting closer everyday to recovery!

 

xxx

went on Prozac 1994-99,60mg.poopout ct  back on 2001-2002,prozac weekly 2002,not working,Effexor 75 mg.?2003-mar.2004 gaining weight 8wk. taper,wellbutrin 150 mg.mar. -may 2004 ctmedfree til july 2005 back to Prozac gaining weight again,back on wellbutrin jan.2006150-300 mg.bad constipation.also was taking aygestin(hormone)perimenopausal irregular bleeding.back on Prozac around sept,?2006,hysterectomy jan30.2007(adenomyosis)off&on Prozac til 2009,citalopram about 1 mo, April 2010 no effect,Effexor again may -mar, 2011.ct,Prozac aug,-dec, 2011 &sept-nov 2012,paroxetine oct,23 2013-may 4 2014 20 mgs.tapered 6 wks.-failed RI in Oct.2014-in protracted WD.started 10 mgs. Fluoxetine May 25 2021 .Stopped fluoxetine May 2022 at 5 mgs.

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Yeah can't wait to read your success stories one day....as well as write mine!  :)

Took 10 mg of Lexapro for 15 years. Started to taper in October 2015. Took last 1mg dose in March 2016. Started having side effects end of March 2016. Symptoms include: anxiety, heart palpitations, shaky, chronic fatigue, body feels like lead(so heavy), brain fog and dizziness and really bad pain especially on right side of body. 

 

Symptoms as of 10/18/16- Burning skin, widespread body pain, some insomnia, some fatigue, some brain fog, anxiety upon waking up, numbing and tremor in pinky and ring finger on left hand, cracking/popping/stiff joints. 

 

Symptoms as of 4/19/17- A little burning skin, muscle pain, FATIGUE, some brain fog, tremor in pinky and ring finger on left hand, cracking/popping/stiff joints, blurry vision, eye floaters, sciatica.

 

Symptoms as of 10/3/17- Physical symptoms-- Very little burning skin that comes and goes, some muscle and nerve pain that comes and goes, tremor in pinky and ring finger, muscle twitches, cortisol spike in the morning(heart palpitations), cracking/popping joints all those this has gotten a little better lately, blurry vision and eye floaters that come and go, sciatica(less intense now), fatigue which is still very bad but better than a year ago. Mental symptoms-- Depression, anxiety, hopelessness, lack of motivation or interest, brain fog(trouble focusing and concentrating), ruminating thoughts. All these come and go. 

 

 

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Me too! Going to be awesome!

Paxil 20mg from 1998-2011 

Paxil 40mg from 2011-2012 while experiencing poopout

October 2013 quit cold turkey

Oct-mid Nov 2013 great window

Late November WD nightmare 

Windows and waves pattern 

Now: 28 months cold turkey...doing decent learning to deal with the windows/waves pattern fighting it every step of the way. 

Link to comment

Coldturkeymama, I was on paxil 10mg then cold turkey after 3 years, you really give me hope!

Paxil 20mg started around 2013 dropped to 10 mg at some point dropped to 5mg for 1 week then C/T August 2016.

 

Buspar 10 mg 2x daily started 2013 fluctuating amounts.

 

Tried cylexa 1 week at beginning of August 2016.

Tried wellbutrin 1 week after cylexa stopped both.

 

I have been off all meds for around 4- 5 years.

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How are you doing?

Have you been off Paxil long?

Such a bad drug. We will heal though, just takes some time. ;)

Paxil 20mg from 1998-2011 

Paxil 40mg from 2011-2012 while experiencing poopout

October 2013 quit cold turkey

Oct-mid Nov 2013 great window

Late November WD nightmare 

Windows and waves pattern 

Now: 28 months cold turkey...doing decent learning to deal with the windows/waves pattern fighting it every step of the way. 

Link to comment

Not so hot at the moment I'm in a 2 month bad wave.... I've been off 9 almost 10 months so I'm the scheme of things bot long, but I was only on it for 3 years so hoping recovery is coming soon. We will all heal for sure! The time frame just sucks.

Paxil 20mg started around 2013 dropped to 10 mg at some point dropped to 5mg for 1 week then C/T August 2016.

 

Buspar 10 mg 2x daily started 2013 fluctuating amounts.

 

Tried cylexa 1 week at beginning of August 2016.

Tried wellbutrin 1 week after cylexa stopped both.

 

I have been off all meds for around 4- 5 years.

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Do you feel like your symptoms have been mostly physical or mental?

Paxil 20mg started around 2013 dropped to 10 mg at some point dropped to 5mg for 1 week then C/T August 2016.

 

Buspar 10 mg 2x daily started 2013 fluctuating amounts.

 

Tried cylexa 1 week at beginning of August 2016.

Tried wellbutrin 1 week after cylexa stopped both.

 

I have been off all meds for around 4- 5 years.

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Time frame blowssss

I feel like I've had both pretty bad, physical and mental stuff, which sucks.

I still get brain zaps by times as well.

Paxil 20mg from 1998-2011 

Paxil 40mg from 2011-2012 while experiencing poopout

October 2013 quit cold turkey

Oct-mid Nov 2013 great window

Late November WD nightmare 

Windows and waves pattern 

Now: 28 months cold turkey...doing decent learning to deal with the windows/waves pattern fighting it every step of the way. 

Link to comment
  • 2 weeks later...

Things are still plugging along.

I'm so glad my sleep has improved! In the start I would get very little sleep. I would jolt awake with panic and heart palpitations and didn't know what was happening.

I'd often lay awake for hours as well.

Now I can go to sleep at 10 and sleep well until 3-4 then usually have an hour of insomnia and then sleep til 7, so I consider that much improved.

I've even slept in today and didn't have the insomnia hour!!

 

I started tracking my progress and there is really no rhythm to it.

I used to get bigger windows too, now things are more choppy. Odd to me but it is what it is.

Paxil 20mg from 1998-2011 

Paxil 40mg from 2011-2012 while experiencing poopout

October 2013 quit cold turkey

Oct-mid Nov 2013 great window

Late November WD nightmare 

Windows and waves pattern 

Now: 28 months cold turkey...doing decent learning to deal with the windows/waves pattern fighting it every step of the way. 

Link to comment

What’s the mental stuff like? Desire to think negatively? Or is your brain giving you more rest than in the previous years of withdrawal?

Took my first SSRI sipralexa/lexapro/escitalopram in 2007 for depression. In 2010 the doctor switched me to paroxetine/seroxat/paxil for anxiety.

My paroxetine story from then on:

 

2010-15 from 10mg up to 20mg

jan 2016 30mg

may 2016 0mg cold turkey (don't!)

dec 2016 symptoms: anxiety, tremor (could barely stand)

jan 2017 reinstated at 7.5mg to taper in steps of 10%

...

Dose changes from may 2017 to now: 

5.0/4.7/4.4/4.0/3.7/3.5/3.3/3.1mg

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Mental stuff, well I get some relief but my mind will tend to go to negative/fear/worry, etc

Paxil 20mg from 1998-2011 

Paxil 40mg from 2011-2012 while experiencing poopout

October 2013 quit cold turkey

Oct-mid Nov 2013 great window

Late November WD nightmare 

Windows and waves pattern 

Now: 28 months cold turkey...doing decent learning to deal with the windows/waves pattern fighting it every step of the way. 

Link to comment

Unbelievable how our minds want us to suffer. I hope you have found the button to not get dragged into these negative spirals.

Took my first SSRI sipralexa/lexapro/escitalopram in 2007 for depression. In 2010 the doctor switched me to paroxetine/seroxat/paxil for anxiety.

My paroxetine story from then on:

 

2010-15 from 10mg up to 20mg

jan 2016 30mg

may 2016 0mg cold turkey (don't!)

dec 2016 symptoms: anxiety, tremor (could barely stand)

jan 2017 reinstated at 7.5mg to taper in steps of 10%

...

Dose changes from may 2017 to now: 

5.0/4.7/4.4/4.0/3.7/3.5/3.3/3.1mg

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It's difficult.

I have head pressure and zaps still as well, although the pressure is a LOT better than it was. It used to be constant!

I find I'm stressed out easier, and since I have three kids you can imagine how that is!

Lol

I get fake UTI's as I call them, all the problems of one but it's not actually a UTI.

I also get really tired at times, which sucks because I've got a lot to do.

I do manage to work but I work my own schedule, if I had to do a 9-5, I can't imagine.

Paxil 20mg from 1998-2011 

Paxil 40mg from 2011-2012 while experiencing poopout

October 2013 quit cold turkey

Oct-mid Nov 2013 great window

Late November WD nightmare 

Windows and waves pattern 

Now: 28 months cold turkey...doing decent learning to deal with the windows/waves pattern fighting it every step of the way. 

Link to comment

Don’t be harsh on yourself and do what you can handle.

 

Being stressed out is an emotional reaction. In itself that’s not a problem. Just don’t transform the energy into thoughts. Dare to feel!

Don’t talk it away.

Took my first SSRI sipralexa/lexapro/escitalopram in 2007 for depression. In 2010 the doctor switched me to paroxetine/seroxat/paxil for anxiety.

My paroxetine story from then on:

 

2010-15 from 10mg up to 20mg

jan 2016 30mg

may 2016 0mg cold turkey (don't!)

dec 2016 symptoms: anxiety, tremor (could barely stand)

jan 2017 reinstated at 7.5mg to taper in steps of 10%

...

Dose changes from may 2017 to now: 

5.0/4.7/4.4/4.0/3.7/3.5/3.3/3.1mg

Link to comment

Yes, I try! :)

Paxil 20mg from 1998-2011 

Paxil 40mg from 2011-2012 while experiencing poopout

October 2013 quit cold turkey

Oct-mid Nov 2013 great window

Late November WD nightmare 

Windows and waves pattern 

Now: 28 months cold turkey...doing decent learning to deal with the windows/waves pattern fighting it every step of the way. 

Link to comment

I find that when I'm feeling bad (what I like to call *wavy*) my mind reasons everything out non-stop. I'm analyzing everything. It's exhausting!

For example, when I'm in a window, everything is just still. It's great, I usually feel about 90-95% awesome in a window and my brain is just chilling and going with the flow but then uh oh look out WAVE!

It is frustrating that there is no real pattern.

I used to get longer windows and now everything is more choppy.

Time is on our side, just need to keep plugging along.

Paxil 20mg from 1998-2011 

Paxil 40mg from 2011-2012 while experiencing poopout

October 2013 quit cold turkey

Oct-mid Nov 2013 great window

Late November WD nightmare 

Windows and waves pattern 

Now: 28 months cold turkey...doing decent learning to deal with the windows/waves pattern fighting it every step of the way. 

Link to comment
  • Moderator

"I find that when I'm feeling bad (what I like to call *wavy*) my mind reasons everything out non-stop. I'm analyzing everything. It's exhausting!"

 

This sounds like a manifestation of an Emotional Spiral, you might try handling it in a similar manner. 

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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How exactly?

Paxil 20mg from 1998-2011 

Paxil 40mg from 2011-2012 while experiencing poopout

October 2013 quit cold turkey

Oct-mid Nov 2013 great window

Late November WD nightmare 

Windows and waves pattern 

Now: 28 months cold turkey...doing decent learning to deal with the windows/waves pattern fighting it every step of the way. 

Link to comment

Actually I have been changing the channel lol but it's not always easy.

Paxil 20mg from 1998-2011 

Paxil 40mg from 2011-2012 while experiencing poopout

October 2013 quit cold turkey

Oct-mid Nov 2013 great window

Late November WD nightmare 

Windows and waves pattern 

Now: 28 months cold turkey...doing decent learning to deal with the windows/waves pattern fighting it every step of the way. 

Link to comment

I find that when I'm feeling bad (what I like to call *wavy*) my mind reasons everything out non-stop. I'm analyzing everything. It's exhausting!

 

It’s very exhausting indeed. And the explanation always justifies the anxiety, so you always end up with problems to solve. I have this too. My mind wants me too sink. With time this gets more and more clear to me.

I don’t believe in positive thinking. I try to feel the pain and not think at all.

Took my first SSRI sipralexa/lexapro/escitalopram in 2007 for depression. In 2010 the doctor switched me to paroxetine/seroxat/paxil for anxiety.

My paroxetine story from then on:

 

2010-15 from 10mg up to 20mg

jan 2016 30mg

may 2016 0mg cold turkey (don't!)

dec 2016 symptoms: anxiety, tremor (could barely stand)

jan 2017 reinstated at 7.5mg to taper in steps of 10%

...

Dose changes from may 2017 to now: 

5.0/4.7/4.4/4.0/3.7/3.5/3.3/3.1mg

Link to comment
  • Moderator

Changing the channel, like you're doing, which can be hard but improves with practice.  Distraction of any sort. AAF or the more aggressive DARE (do a site search for more on that). Analyzing thoughts takes a conscience decision to do so, so you need to make the decision not to, and stick to it.  Many of the thoughts will be repeats that have been hashed over and over again.  Identifying them like triggers and when they reappear telling them that they have been thought through and handled and it is no longer necessary to address them eventually helps too. It can be a slow tedious process and quite tiring, but it will work.

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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Lay down with the fear of not having an explanation. That’s a game-changer as it stops the mechanical negative thinking. The alternative is to live with the fear caused by your thinking, a process which will repeat over and over again.

Took my first SSRI sipralexa/lexapro/escitalopram in 2007 for depression. In 2010 the doctor switched me to paroxetine/seroxat/paxil for anxiety.

My paroxetine story from then on:

 

2010-15 from 10mg up to 20mg

jan 2016 30mg

may 2016 0mg cold turkey (don't!)

dec 2016 symptoms: anxiety, tremor (could barely stand)

jan 2017 reinstated at 7.5mg to taper in steps of 10%

...

Dose changes from may 2017 to now: 

5.0/4.7/4.4/4.0/3.7/3.5/3.3/3.1mg

Link to comment

Changing the channel, like you're doing, which can be hard but improves with practice. Distraction of any sort. AAF or the more aggressive DARE (do a site search for more on that). Analyzing thoughts takes a conscience decision to do so, so you need to make the decision not to, and stick to it. Many of the thoughts will be repeats that have been hashed over and over again. Identifying them like triggers and when they reappear telling them that they have been thought through and handled and it is no longer necessary to address them eventually helps too. It can be a slow tedious process and quite tiring, but it will work.

Paxil 20mg from 1998-2011 

Paxil 40mg from 2011-2012 while experiencing poopout

October 2013 quit cold turkey

Oct-mid Nov 2013 great window

Late November WD nightmare 

Windows and waves pattern 

Now: 28 months cold turkey...doing decent learning to deal with the windows/waves pattern fighting it every step of the way. 

Link to comment

Thank you for the advice, I will work on this more. I do find distraction very helpful, when I've got a busy schedule I can keep my mind from overthinking tooo much.

I was hoping things would be a lot better this far out, but seeing as how it was a cold turkey and I was on the drug 15-16 yrs, I guess it's a miracle I'm doing as well as I am!

Paxil 20mg from 1998-2011 

Paxil 40mg from 2011-2012 while experiencing poopout

October 2013 quit cold turkey

Oct-mid Nov 2013 great window

Late November WD nightmare 

Windows and waves pattern 

Now: 28 months cold turkey...doing decent learning to deal with the windows/waves pattern fighting it every step of the way. 

Link to comment

And thank you MIT, I appreciate your thoughts on this. ????

Paxil 20mg from 1998-2011 

Paxil 40mg from 2011-2012 while experiencing poopout

October 2013 quit cold turkey

Oct-mid Nov 2013 great window

Late November WD nightmare 

Windows and waves pattern 

Now: 28 months cold turkey...doing decent learning to deal with the windows/waves pattern fighting it every step of the way. 

Link to comment
  • 1 month later...

Hi CTmama,

 

How is your summer going? Are the kids home all day? I hope you have been having more windows than waves. I've been thinking of you.

 

Hugs and continued healing,

T

Buspirone to 45mg, Cold Turkey St. John's Wort 600mg Jan 1, 2016. Cold Turkey Buproprion 150SR June 1 due to severe Akathisia that did not decrease with reducing the dosage.

Clonazepam 1.25mg, started daily liquid micro taper of clonazepam on Nov 1, 2016. Changed to sxs based taper 01/17. Slow and steady

11/10/16 .4104 3X day; 11/17/16 .4091 3x day; 11/28/16 .406 3x day; 12/4/16 .404 3x day; 12/11/16 .4028 3x

01/12/17 .39267 3x day holding; 02/25/17 .3902 3x day, holding. .3823mg 3x day. Tapering at .0007462mg as able;  09/21/18 .3542mg 3x day.  1/3/2019 .339mg 3x day. 6/25/19 .3307mg 3x day. 8/24/19 .317mg 3x day 2/13/20 .2886mg 3x day 3/18/21 .2388mg 3x day 06/17/21 .2239mg 3x day 09/13/22 .1682 3x day

L-theanine 200 mg, L-glycine 500mg 1x day and 1000mg 1x day, vit C 1000 mg sustained release 2x day. Fish oil 1800mg EPA + DHA. Vit E 400 IU, magnesium in various forms. Inositol 3x a day abt 14mg, Taurine 500mg.

5/20/16 Using Cranial Eletrotherapy Stimulation. 2x day 1 hour at level 1. Using Alph-Stim AID. 

 

Link to comment
  • 3 weeks later...
On 2017-07-13 at 7:11 PM, tntd said:

Hi CTmama,

 

How is your summer going? Are the kids home all day? I hope you have been having more windows than waves. I've been thinking of you.

 

Hugs and continued healing,

T

 

Hi :) 

yes, all kids are home, it's been busy. I'm working a lot, but I'm thankful I make my own schedule. 

I had a wonderful 2 week window where everything was 95% awesome, but then right before my period a wave hit. Blah! Hopefully it goes away and brings back my lovely window lol

how are you doing?

Paxil 20mg from 1998-2011 

Paxil 40mg from 2011-2012 while experiencing poopout

October 2013 quit cold turkey

Oct-mid Nov 2013 great window

Late November WD nightmare 

Windows and waves pattern 

Now: 28 months cold turkey...doing decent learning to deal with the windows/waves pattern fighting it every step of the way. 

Link to comment

Hey there,

 

I'm glad to hear that you had a nice two week window. It will be nice when they stay open for good. I know they will someday. I'm glad you can make your own schedule. Do you work from home or have flex hours away from home?

 

I've been up and down in windows and waves. I wish I knew what caused them. Of course I know it is probably nothing I've done it's just my brain still healing different areas. Same for you I'm sure. PMS never helps. I'm just glad that I've been able to get out of the house to some extent. I'm planning on starting to taper my benzo again soon but I'm worried that my CT brain isn't ready for it yet. Only time will tell I suppose. 

 

I see you are almost at four years out now. Do you have lots of windows now or are things still inconsistent? I remember you said earlier you were having great windows and then the waves started coming back more frequently. I hope that has reversed for you again. 

 

Hugs and healing to you,

T

Buspirone to 45mg, Cold Turkey St. John's Wort 600mg Jan 1, 2016. Cold Turkey Buproprion 150SR June 1 due to severe Akathisia that did not decrease with reducing the dosage.

Clonazepam 1.25mg, started daily liquid micro taper of clonazepam on Nov 1, 2016. Changed to sxs based taper 01/17. Slow and steady

11/10/16 .4104 3X day; 11/17/16 .4091 3x day; 11/28/16 .406 3x day; 12/4/16 .404 3x day; 12/11/16 .4028 3x

01/12/17 .39267 3x day holding; 02/25/17 .3902 3x day, holding. .3823mg 3x day. Tapering at .0007462mg as able;  09/21/18 .3542mg 3x day.  1/3/2019 .339mg 3x day. 6/25/19 .3307mg 3x day. 8/24/19 .317mg 3x day 2/13/20 .2886mg 3x day 3/18/21 .2388mg 3x day 06/17/21 .2239mg 3x day 09/13/22 .1682 3x day

L-theanine 200 mg, L-glycine 500mg 1x day and 1000mg 1x day, vit C 1000 mg sustained release 2x day. Fish oil 1800mg EPA + DHA. Vit E 400 IU, magnesium in various forms. Inositol 3x a day abt 14mg, Taurine 500mg.

5/20/16 Using Cranial Eletrotherapy Stimulation. 2x day 1 hour at level 1. Using Alph-Stim AID. 

 

Link to comment

Is all so inconsistent- which makes it hard to deal with, i with I knew the schedule of my windows and waves lol 

 

Paxil 20mg from 1998-2011 

Paxil 40mg from 2011-2012 while experiencing poopout

October 2013 quit cold turkey

Oct-mid Nov 2013 great window

Late November WD nightmare 

Windows and waves pattern 

Now: 28 months cold turkey...doing decent learning to deal with the windows/waves pattern fighting it every step of the way. 

Link to comment

If only, wouldn't that be amazing. We could schedule all the things we want to do for when we are in our windows :)

 

 

Buspirone to 45mg, Cold Turkey St. John's Wort 600mg Jan 1, 2016. Cold Turkey Buproprion 150SR June 1 due to severe Akathisia that did not decrease with reducing the dosage.

Clonazepam 1.25mg, started daily liquid micro taper of clonazepam on Nov 1, 2016. Changed to sxs based taper 01/17. Slow and steady

11/10/16 .4104 3X day; 11/17/16 .4091 3x day; 11/28/16 .406 3x day; 12/4/16 .404 3x day; 12/11/16 .4028 3x

01/12/17 .39267 3x day holding; 02/25/17 .3902 3x day, holding. .3823mg 3x day. Tapering at .0007462mg as able;  09/21/18 .3542mg 3x day.  1/3/2019 .339mg 3x day. 6/25/19 .3307mg 3x day. 8/24/19 .317mg 3x day 2/13/20 .2886mg 3x day 3/18/21 .2388mg 3x day 06/17/21 .2239mg 3x day 09/13/22 .1682 3x day

L-theanine 200 mg, L-glycine 500mg 1x day and 1000mg 1x day, vit C 1000 mg sustained release 2x day. Fish oil 1800mg EPA + DHA. Vit E 400 IU, magnesium in various forms. Inositol 3x a day abt 14mg, Taurine 500mg.

5/20/16 Using Cranial Eletrotherapy Stimulation. 2x day 1 hour at level 1. Using Alph-Stim AID. 

 

Link to comment
2 hours ago, tntd said:

If only, wouldn't that be amazing. We could schedule all the things we want to do for when we are in our windows :)

 

 

Lol that would rock lol 

Paxil 20mg from 1998-2011 

Paxil 40mg from 2011-2012 while experiencing poopout

October 2013 quit cold turkey

Oct-mid Nov 2013 great window

Late November WD nightmare 

Windows and waves pattern 

Now: 28 months cold turkey...doing decent learning to deal with the windows/waves pattern fighting it every step of the way. 

Link to comment
  • 1 month later...

I'm coming up on 4 years off in October! 

I remember being 9 months out and being miserable, longing to be 4-5 years out.  I thought I'd be totally better by then- so I wanted to rush time.

im much improved, that is for sure!

In the beginning I had so many issues, but you would too if you'd taken 20mg of Paxil for 14-15 years and 40mg for a year before jumping off cold turkey in ignorance!

 

For those who may be dealing with acute WD now, it does get better.

I had:

anxiety, heart issues (had to have an EKG), racing heart, intrusive thinking, insomnia, waking with racing heart, panic, crying jags, stomach issues, flu like symptoms, terrible shin and bone pain, back pain, skin issues, brain zaps, could not relax or sit still, sugar cravings like you wouldn't believe, bladder issues that mimic an infection, high inflammation and more!

 

Today I feel like I've come a long way, but watch out when a wave hits.  I know I'm still healing & will continue to for a long time I'm sure.  Just thought I'd do a pop in and give some encouragement.

 

Paxil 20mg from 1998-2011 

Paxil 40mg from 2011-2012 while experiencing poopout

October 2013 quit cold turkey

Oct-mid Nov 2013 great window

Late November WD nightmare 

Windows and waves pattern 

Now: 28 months cold turkey...doing decent learning to deal with the windows/waves pattern fighting it every step of the way. 

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Appreciate your tale, coldturkmama - many thanks and best wishes for the time to come.

Born 1945. 

1999 - First Effexor/Venlafaxine

2016 Withdrawal research. Effexor.  13Jul - 212.5mg;  6Aug - 200.0mg;  24Aug - 187.5mg;  13Sep - 175.0mg;  3Oct - 162.5mg;  26Oct - 150mg 

2017  9Jan - 150.00mg;  23Mar - 137.50mg;  24Apr - 125.00mg;  31May - 112.50mg holding;  3Sep - 100.00mg;  20Sep - 93.75mg;  20Oct - 87.5mg;  12Nov - 81.25mg;  13 Dec - 75.00mg

2018  18Jan - 69.1mg; 16Feb - 62.5mg; 16March - 57.5mg (-8%); 22Apr - 56.3mg(-2%); CRASHED - Updose 29May - 62.5mg; Updose - 1Jul - 75.0mg. Updose - 2Aug - 87.5mg. Updose - 27Aug - 100.0mg. Updose - 11Oct 112.5mg. Updose - 6Nov 125.00mg

2019 Updoses 19 Jan - 150.0mg. 1April - 162.5mg. 24 April - Feeling better - doing tasks, getting outside.  7 May - usual depression questionnaire gives "probably no depression" result.

Supps/Vits  Omega 3;  Chelated Magnesium;  Prebiotics/Probiotics, Vit D3. 

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CTM. We are on a similar time-frame and I understand your angst. For me, I really just want to be done with all of this right NOW. Unfortunately, it just doesn't work that way. Much more patience and acceptance is needed yet before we get to the finish line.   

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
.
         

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