Nicolas45140: switching Paxil to Lexapro

[Shep]

14 hours ago, Nicolas45140 said:

@Shep hello to you. I have been told that I could get some advice from you from my last posts…. 
I was at 3mg since October 2022 and moved to 2,9mg, 1st of January. Two weeks later I felt miserable and still now !!! things I never felt in a year tapering. Insomnia, migraine, headache, head tension, panic attack, intrusive thoughts, night anxiety, anedhonia.
i did go back up to 3mg for 2 days now… but I may think to go back to 3,2 or 3,5 to go back to a confort zone where I’m ok with good sleep and be able to keep my job and all. 
what would you think ? Thank you 🙏 

 

It's good you increased back to 3 mg. Please continue to hold at 3 mg. I wouldn't increase anymore right now. It can take 4 days for the nervous system to even register the change, so I would stay at 3 mg for a few more days. 

 

Has anything else changed? Did you have any changes in diet such as caffeine, alcohol, or any life stressors that may have made you feel worse? If not, than the increase will likely help, but it may take a few days or even a few weeks for things to settle down. 

 

 

[Nicolas45140]

11 hours ago, Shep said:

 

It's good you increased back to 3 mg. Please continue to hold at 3 mg. I wouldn't increase anymore right now. It can take 4 days for the nervous system to even register the change, so I would stay at 3 mg for a few more days. 

 

Has anything else changed? Did you have any changes in diet such as caffeine, alcohol, or any life stressors that may have made you feel worse? If not, than the increase will likely help, but it may take a few days or even a few weeks for things to settle down. 

 

 

Hello shep and thank you for answering me. I do apologize for my English as it isn’t my native language. 
I really don’t know why I did have this real panic days or even weeks. Nothing really changed. I don’t drink alcohol anymore for months, I don’t smoke, no life stressors (except my son 9yo got problems at school…don’t know why he jumped on his school table in class…and got a phone call from them) no Change in diet, I only drink one morning coffee for breakfast, I cut the rest of caféine. 

would that be a wave that heated me strong ? But headache (strange feeling on top of my skull) or head tension…  it’s there, not painful but very annoying. Insomnia arrived for 3 or 4 nights…. Last night was a bit better, I slept 6 or 7 hours and of course anxiety or impending doom….

is it common when you taper ? I thought yes when you taper 10% but going from 3mg to 2,9mg…. Allô ?? I don’t understand. 
take care shep ! 

[Shep]

13 hours ago, Nicolas45140 said:

would that be a wave that heated me strong ?

 

Yes, it really does sound like a wave. It's good you're eating healthy. But sometimes wave come even when nothing else changes. It's okay. Waves come and waves go. It will get better.

 

13 hours ago, Nicolas45140 said:

is it common when you taper ? I thought yes when you taper 10% but going from 3mg to 2,9mg…. Allô ?? I don’t understand. 

 

The taper rate is only one variable. Another variable is how long you hold. Some people are able to taper 10% each month, but other people need to hold longer. Upticks in symptoms are your body's way of saying it's time to hold. 

 

As you get to the lower doses, you may need to taper a smaller rate and have longer holds. The lower doses tend to be harder to taper. Please see:

Why taper? SERT transporter occupancy studies show importance of gradual change in plasma concentration

 

Please let us know how you're doing over the coming days.

[Nicolas45140]

On 7/5/2020 at 9:44 PM, brassmonkey said:

Don’t be in a rush to go off the drug with a too-fast taper, either.  A too-fast taper is one where you have withdrawal symptoms while you are tapering.  The 10% taper we recommend is intended to avoid withdrawal symptoms.  If you experience many withdrawal symptoms while tapering it means that your body is having a hard time.

Hey !! 
yes ! My psy had me switched as I was complaining my p@xil wasn’t working much anymore so direct switched with escitalopram but not as an equivalent dosage. So I do feel withdrawal symptoms while tapering. 
i am at 3mg and will stop/pause tapering for 4 or 5 months but is it the right things to do ? 
how to reduce this hard time ? 
nick

[Altostrata]

@Nicolas45140 please read recent responses here in your Introductions topic.

[Faure]

On 1/27/2023 at 1:21 PM, Nicolas45140 said:

how to reduce this hard time ? 

Hi Nicolas, I’m sorry to see you’re having a hard time right now.  Unfortunately there is nothing that can be done to reduce this other than waiting for it to pass, it will pass, even though right now it feels like it won’t.  Also trying to change how you deal with / react to the symptoms. The links to non drug ways to cope with symptoms may help, please note doing these regularly will help most, not just when symptoms are bad. The best thing I ever did was to start meditating, it has helped me no end and I try to keep it up most days. 
 

I fell into the trap of trying to adjust my dose to feel ok. It didn’t work. In the end I reinstated the full dose in the expectation it would sort things out and spent two years feeling totally exhausted and one feeling emotionally unstable.  The only good thing was the pandemic meant I could stay at home all the time, working just enough hours to cover my outgoings, also reduced because of the pandemic. So I would advise to stick on the 3mg and wait it out. Changing doses destabilises you more and makes things worse. There is no optimum dose to relieve symptoms. Your nervous system is upset and needs time and stability to heal. I’m sorry, I know you want an answer about what to take to make you feel better, if there was something then this website wouldn’t exist 🙁

 

I hope you get some relief soon. 

[Nicolas45140]

4 hours ago, Faure said:

Hi Nicolas, I’m sorry to see you’re having a hard time right now.  Unfortunately there is nothing that can be done to reduce this other than waiting for it to pass, it will pass, even though right now it feels like it won’t.  Also trying to change how you deal with / react to the symptoms. The links to non drug ways to cope with symptoms may help, please note doing these regularly will help most, not just when symptoms are bad. The best thing I ever did was to start meditating, it has helped me no end and I try to keep it up most days. 
 

I fell into the trap of trying to adjust my dose to feel ok. It didn’t work. In the end I reinstated the full dose in the expectation it would sort things out and spent two years feeling totally exhausted and one feeling emotionally unstable.  The only good thing was the pandemic meant I could stay at home all the time, working just enough hours to cover my outgoings, also reduced because of the pandemic. So I would advise to stick on the 3mg and wait it out. Changing doses destabilises you more and makes things worse. There is no optimum dose to relieve symptoms. Your nervous system is upset and needs time and stability to heal. I’m sorry, I know you want an answer about what to take to make you feel better, if there was something then this website wouldn’t exist 🙁

 

I hope you get some relief soon. 

Hello faure !! 
Unfortunately there is no more pandemic so I need to be able to function and work. I will stick at 3mg and see for 5 or 6 months how it works. I deal with my waves but still have terrible neck pain, kind of Strange head feeling and eyes pain with light dizziness…. (Only one coffee a day, no smoke, no alcohol,…) 
don’t know if it’s normal to last forever. 
@shep ! Any idea too ? 
thank you. 
 

[Shep]

6 hours ago, Nicolas45140 said:

I will stick at 3mg and see for 5 or 6 months how it works.

 

This sounds like a good idea, Nicolas. If you're seeing improvements with the reinstatement, continuing to hold for more stability is wise. Please let us know how you're doing over the coming weeks. 

[Nicolas45140]

On 1/29/2023 at 9:35 PM, Shep said:

 

This sounds like a good idea, Nicolas. If you're seeing improvements with the reinstatement, continuing to hold for more stability is wise. Please let us know how you're doing over the coming weeks. 

Hello, Yes I will try to keep study on this dose. I still have WD everyday but while reading other threads.... I found that because I switched to another SSRI as I didn't know about slow taper and all.... I direct switched 20mg of paxil to 5...10mg escitalopram...which is half of the equivalent dosage. 

My escitalopram didn't mask my symptoms of the paxil switched...... and now I am waiting that pass.....cause its a bit late to updose now. 

Well, I sleep OK, I eat OK. My supplements don't seems to bother me. My morning coffee doesn't change anything. I just feel confused. I have shoulders and neck very painful and tense.... and this strange headache/head pressure impossible to explain like most of us. 

But life is beautiful.... Keeping fighting is the only way to win against them !!

[Shep]

10 hours ago, Nicolas45140 said:

Well, I sleep OK, I eat OK. My supplements don't seems to bother me. My morning coffee doesn't change anything. I just feel confused. I have shoulders and neck very painful and tense.... and this strange headache/head pressure impossible to explain like most of us. 

 

I'm glad you're able to sleep and eat OK. Those are important. Are you able to take warm epsom salt baths to help with the pain? You may also want to find some gentle yoga or stretches on YouTube to help with shoulder and neck tension. This one is a good one for helping with relaxation and tension:

 

Legs Up The Wall - Foundations of Yoga video (7 minutes)

 

 

10 hours ago, Nicolas45140 said:

But life is beautiful.... Keeping fighting is the only way to win against them !!

 

Yes, it is. I like your attitude, Nicolas. 

[Nicolas45140]

Hello, 

I had two good days that i didn't have for a long time. Feeling normal. no headache, no neck tension, no anxiety, no fear, no anedhonia, no nothing.... just two good days. 

Did I change anything ? No ! Or maybe just going to SA and no more forum and website to scare myself on differents stories. 

But Unfortunately, it was just 2 good days, im back with my daily anxiety/fear and still keep myself busy as if i do gardening, cleaning, I don't think to much and I surf on my symptoms... I try to make them part of my everydays life. 

It's the only thing that I can do... and wait that my brain could recovered. 

I won't change my treatment... I will keep my 3mg Escitalopram for a while. It doesn't mask my withdrawal paxil symptoms but there is nothing i can do. 

Its been 15 months since i Switched paxil for escitalopram but Except withdrawal symptoms from paxil or lexapro....or both, The little victory is that I am at 3mg lexapro and I was at 20mg paroxetine for 23 years, so nearly a third of my dosage and don't feel worth or better.... 

Lets keep fighting this s....t

Good day to all

Nicolas 

[Shep]

Thanks for the update, @Nicolas45140 Glad you're finding healthy distractions to keep busy. 

[Nicolas45140]

Hello to all… yes it’s morning here !! 
Horrible night ! Insomnia mix with anxiety/fear  and lots of thinking…. Sleeping hour per hour after 2am…. 
anyone could tell me what I am enduring ? Part of the wave symptoms ? 
good day to all 

[Shep]

@Nicolas45140Please see this thread for some helpful tips for dealing with insomnia:

 

Tips to help sleep: so many of us have that awful withdrawal insomnia

 

Unfortunately, insomnia is one of the more common symptoms of withdrawal. It will get better in time.

[Faure]

Really good news you have a window even if it was only for two days. This shows healing is taking place. Well done for managing to distract yourself and accept the symptoms, it isn’t easy. 
 

A great tip I read on here and that Ariel (who was very active on here for a brief while) loved is to *pretend* you are asleep when suffering from insomnia. It really helps me to stop stressing about being awake and just lie there and rest, pretending I’m asleep! 

[Nicolas45140]

Hello everyone, i just post a note that I translated to maybe make things a bit more understandable for UK or American speakers. 

 

I come here to discover and exchange to maybe find a solution to my problems. First of all, I read many messages and I see that there are many people here with withdrawal problems with Benzos. For my part, we'll say that I've been a bit lucky in that I've only had antidepressants in my life and lysanxia (just on demand but one pack was to last me a year). 
However, I don't think I was lucky because my doctor left me on antidepressants and this, for 23 years. Yes, 23 years and just for a slight hypochondria or toc. 
To make a long story short, I've had several antidepressants but mainly Paroxetine. 
Last year, the paroxetine 20mg didn't work anymore...uhh yes...after several years, I suspect that the brain may be used to it and doesn't respond anymore so it creates a lack....My doctor made me switch to Seroplex 10mg. ... and too strong I quickly went down to 5mg.... and I stabilized a bit. wow... despite some turbulences, sleep came back, emotions, feelings, crying at the movies, sensitivity, etc... all this comes back and it's scary. 
Anyway, I started to go down...5mg, 4,5mg, 4mg, 3,5mg, 3,2mg, 3mg....so yes, I have my withdrawal effects at each reduction which can last from 1 week to 3 weeks but these symptoms pass. but i still have daily anxiety, headaches but not headaches as usual and they are complicated to define, itchy skin, light bothering me, complicated nights...in short.... lots of little things not very pleasant. 
I think, according to my research and my readings that because of my switch and my under dosage, the seroplex did not mask the lack of paroxetine that I switched. I have a problem with the deroxat that I stopped more than a year ago. 
I would like to point out that despite everything, I have a job, a family, sports activities that I try to continue as best I can but I am not at the bottom of my bed. 
I'm trying to find out why I'm so unwell on a daily basis? the effect of the withdrawal from the drug deroxat, the return of anxiety, so maybe I need a long-term treatment, or something else. 
My therapist tells me that as long as the nights are good, it's fine. However, I sleep quite a bit until 3 or 4 hours and then I'm half asleep... I'm awake but I don't want to get out of bed and it's at these moments that I tell myself that I'm going to take or increase my treatment, that I'm never going to get out of it, that it's complicated... in short, until I get out of bed. 
Here is my story, hoping to exchange with similar stories.  

Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version)

[Shep]

 

4 hours ago, Nicolas45140 said:

I sleep quite a bit until 3 or 4 hours and then I'm half asleep... I'm awake but I don't want to get out of bed and it's at these moments that I tell myself that I'm going to take or increase my treatment, that I'm never going to get out of it, that it's complicated... in short, until I get out of bed. 

 

This sounds like problems with early morning cortisol. Please see:

 

Early-morning waking - managing the morning cortisol spike

 

These tips may help:

 

Tips to help sleep: so many of us have that awful withdrawal insomnia

 

4 hours ago, Nicolas45140 said:

I'm trying to find out why I'm so unwell on a daily basis?

 

What do you mean by "unwell"? Other than problems staying asleep, what other symptoms do you have?

[Nicolas45140]

43 minutes ago, Shep said:

What do you mean by "unwell"? Other than problems staying asleep, what other symptoms do you have?

well, other symptoms.... 

-Anxiety/dread 

-Headache and sensible to bright light

-Neck pain/shoulder pain

-Lack of motivation 

-Itchy skin 

-blurred vision and headache 

and some more....

As I am still taking Lexapro, we can't say that it is protracred withdrawal syndrome... but As I quit Paxil...could it be from this switch i did ? Maybe with you experience, you might now what is happening. 

Take care, shep. 

 

[Shep]

@Nicolas45140I just re-read the last couple pages of your thread and it looks like you're going through the normal window / wave pattern of withdrawal.

The Windows and Waves Pattern of Stabilization

 

Please continue to hold. You may want to bring in more non-drug coping skills to help with the waves. 

 

Non-drug techniques to cope with emotional symptoms

 

I would hold until you get to what's called "withdrawal normal":

 

Withdrawal Normal

[Nicolas45140]

1 hour ago, Shep said:

I would hold until you get to what's called "withdrawal normal":

Hello shep, I feel so disappointed of myself but this morning, I decided to updose my lexapro from 3mg to 5mg. 
i can’t stand some symptoms anymore, for the first time in years I had to take a prazepam to calm myself. I have pain behind my eyes, on the top of my head, so much pain in my neck and shoulder and lots of anxiety. I need to stabilize with less withdrawal symptoms. Will see how it goes and I’ll start again in some time with slower tapering. As I mentionned, I switched Paxil to lexapro and was directly underdosed so I couldn’t fully stabilized and Paxil withdrawal wasn’t masked with lexapro 5mg. 
ill keep posting and sorry for the people who try to help me but can’t take it more. I had help with some of the coping skills but it didn’t help much really except some video to help my neck and shoulders. 

[Shep]

On 2/5/2023 at 4:31 AM, Nicolas45140 said:

Hello, 

I had two good days that i didn't have for a long time. Feeling normal. no headache, no neck tension, no anxiety, no fear, no anedhonia, no nothing.... just two good days. 

 

Just a reminder of what you wrote a few days ago - a two-day window is huge sign of resiliency. 

 

58 minutes ago, Nicolas45140 said:

Hello shep, I feel so disappointed of myself but this morning, I decided to updose my lexapro from 3mg to 5mg. 
i can’t stand some symptoms anymore, for the first time in years I had to take a prazepam to calm myself.

 

For the first time in years you took a prazepam? You have in your signature - "Had to take one prazepam (10mg) in night January22nd 2023." That wasn't even a month ago. I'm not saying you're over using it, but please take a breath and think about what you're doing. 

 

Going from 3 mg to 5 mg is a bad idea - way too high an updose. Not only is your nervous system likely to hyper-react, you now have increased your tapering time by months if not years due to needing to hold longer to let this settle down. 

 

58 minutes ago, Nicolas45140 said:

As I mentionned, I switched Paxil to lexapro and was directly underdosed so I couldn’t fully stabilized and Paxil withdrawal wasn’t masked with lexapro 5mg. 

 

That change was two years ago, wasn't it? Back in 2021? Trying to fix this now is not likely to work, especially with massive updoses. You're setting yourself up for kindling. Please see:

 

Hypersensitivity and Kindling

 

Again, you just had a two-day window a week ago. I would go back down to 3 mg Lexapro, put away the prazepam, and if you can, take some vacation or sick leave from work or find other ways to give yourself a break. 

Edited February 11, 2023 by Shep
added info

[Nicolas45140]

1 hour ago, Shep said:

For the first time in years you took a prazepam? You have in your signature - "Had to take one prazepam (10mg) in night January22nd 2023." That wasn't even a month ago. I'm not saying you're over using it, but please take a breath and think about what you're doing. 

Its a kind of expression.... Like 2 or 3 prazepam in years is nothing. 

 

1 hour ago, Shep said:

Going from 3 mg to 5 mg is a bad idea - way too high an updose. Not only is your nervous system likely to hyper-react, you now have increased your tapering time by months if not years due to needing to hold longer to let this settle down.

How much longer ? We don't have the answers. but my headaches, anedhonia, etc.... makes my everydays life a nightmare. I could not afford to loose my job. Its tough to my wife too to hear me complaining all the time. 

I was fine at 5mg no all these symptoms....i was WDnormal i could say. 

1 hour ago, Shep said:

That change was two years ago, wasn't it? Back in 2021? Trying to fix this now is not likely to work, especially with massive updoses. You're setting yourself up for kindling

October 2021 yes ! 

1 hour ago, Shep said:

Again, you just had a two-day window a week ago. I would go back down to 3 mg Lexapro, put away the prazepam, and if you can, take some vacation or sick leave from work or find other ways to give yourself a break

Sick leave for how long ? 2 weeks and gets a lot of stress of what my boss will think of that sick leave....

 

Shep, 

I Have to take in consideration what you mentionned about kindling. Im so tired of the symptoms...

 

 

[Shep]

7 hours ago, Nicolas45140 said:

How much longer ? We don't have the answers. but my headaches, anedhonia, etc.... makes my everydays life a nightmare. I could not afford to loose my job. Its tough to my wife too to hear me complaining all the time. 

I was fine at 5mg no all these symptoms....i was WDnormal i could say. 

 

You haven't been at 5 mg since 2021. It may help to read the first post of this thread (it's on reinstating but the concepts are still valid for updosing):

 

About reinstating and stabilizing to reduce withdrawal symptoms

 

On 10/8/2012 at 7:17 PM, Altostrata said:

• Often a very low dose will relieve withdrawal symptoms. If, for example, you were taking 20mg Paxil and quit rapidly or cold-turkeyed only a few days ago, 5mg may be enough. After trying the lower dose for a week, you can always increase if you feel you need more. If you've been off the drug longer, your nervous system may be sensitized and it may be wiser to try a sample dose, such as 0.5mg-1mg, to see how you react.
• Avoid kindling, start low to see what you need. You can always increase if necessary. If you've been off the drug for a month or more, many people can find some relief from withdrawal symptoms by reinstating as little as 0.5mg-1mg for 20mg citalopram, for example. Do not start at a high dose, your nervous system may be sensitized by withdrawal and you may your symptoms much worse, which is called kindling -- see a fuller explanation below.

 

You were likely stable at 5 mg Lexapro back then because you may not have been hit yet with Paxil withdrawal, which can be delayed for several months after coming off. At this point, though, your nervous system is destabilized. 

 

Just a thought - if you feel an updose may help, you may want to try an extremely low updose. 

 

[Nicolas45140]

8 hours ago, Shep said:

 

You haven't been at 5 mg since 2021. It may help to read the first post of this thread (it's on reinstating but the concepts are still valid for updosing):

 

About reinstating and stabilizing to reduce withdrawal symptoms

 

 

You were likely stable at 5 mg Lexapro back then because you may not have been hit yet with Paxil withdrawal, which can be delayed for several months after coming off. At this point, though, your nervous system is destabilized. 

 

Just a thought - if you feel an updose may help, you may want to try an extremely low updose. 

 

Hi shep, 

‘I will add only 1mg then to see If I get better after few weeks…. If not I will add another mg. 
i cross fingers that things will go well. 
i don’t mind to lose month or a year… as I didnt start my taper correctly… probably have to start all over again… don’t you think ? 

[Shep]

@Nicolas45140It's not so easy to "start again" when your nervous system is destabilized. If it were that easy, that's what people would be doing so they could become functional after being destabilized. But decades of these forums on the internet show that not to be the case. 

 

You had a two-day window a few days ago and it's possible you may have overdone things (as many of us do during windows). Many people find that the best windows come after the worst waves but if you continue to increase your drug, you'll never get off, especially if you confuse worsening withdrawal symptoms (i.e. waves) with not being on enough of the drug and continue to up your dose. 

 

A 1 mg increase is 33% of what you were currently taking, which is not a small increase. The first post in the reinstatement thread I linked explains why. 

 

[Nicolas45140]

Hello everyone, 

Just a quick news as i didn't inform what's happening....

I feel a bit sad and upset because I had to go back a bit as my symptoms was getting too present, I decided to updose my escitalopram from 3mg to 5mg. 

I had few days with a bit more anxiety than usual, few days with bad sleep but my headache or headpressure is almost gone. Feel more quiet and calm. my wife tells me that i am more peaceful. 

Its just been two weeks so I hope it will improved in a week or two. I wont hesitate to go back to 7,5mg if needed to stabilize properly and start again with a different strategy and much lower dosage. after 23 of AD....5 or 10% reduction is too much so might need to think about 1, 2 or 3% max. 

As Everyone is different, and everyone will react differently to dosage.... (men or women, age, weight, situation in life, medications, etc....)

Listen to your body and what you need most !!

Updosing is just loosing a little battle but not the war... and I will come back with more power next time. 

Work is important and family also, I couldn't afford to loose them. thanks to my wife to being supportive !!

 

 

 

 

 

 

[j1290]

My story is just my own but I struggled for a year before reinstating.  It was never the same as before, but got me steady enough to make a new plan. Now Im down 70% of my starting dose.  This stuff is super tricky, glad to hear things are improving!   

 

I was faltering at work and have to keep a job, Im so glad I reinstated.  My experience is this path down AD mountain is windy and bumpy. 

[Nicolas45140]

10 minutes ago, j1290 said:

My story is just my own but I struggled for a year before reinstating.  It was never the same as before, but got me steady enough to make a new plan. Now Im down 70% of my starting dose.  This stuff is super tricky, glad to hear things are improving!   

 

I was faltering at work and have to keep a job, Im so glad I reinstated.  My experience is this path down AD mountain is windy and bumpy. 

Hey 

we all have our own stories… and when struggled… more you wait and more is difficult to fix troubles. I admire people who could fight years and years of withdrawal… 

‘I might be ready when i ll be off work retired. 
 

[Nicolas45140]

As you know, I've been taking antidepressants for 23 years simply because I can't stop, the withdrawal symptoms are so violent and difficult on a daily basis that you have to be retired or not in need to start a fight that is not easy. Well, for some people, everything goes on without too many problems and for others, well, it's a real ordeal. 
So here it is, I tried to wean myself from deroxat 20mg because it had lost its effect on me and I had to switch to seroplex (escitalopram) 10mg but I found the molecule a bit strong so I switched to 5mg for a few months. It's not too bad so I started a reduction to 4,5mg then 4mg, then 3,5mg, then 3,2mg then 3mg, then 2,9mg.... and then I started to have a headache. 
This headache didn't bother me to do my sport, I even managed to forget it; it didn't bother me to work either because when I was talking with my clients, I managed to get over it. However, it was there... it would sneak up on me in the morning and last all day, until the evening when I found some respite. 
A lot of stress in a weaning process, psycho and physio stress.... in short, the weeks go by and this headache is still there.... it anguishes me, stresses me even more. I told myself that it's the lack of medication so my doctor told me to go back up to 5mg...then 10mg and now 15mg...and still this headache. 
I saw a neurologist who gave me laroxyl to take 5 drops then 10 then 15 and max 20 for this type of pain. I'm afraid to take another psychotropic drug and to be stuck with another antidepressant. So I decided not to take it for the moment. 
I searched the internet and found what looked like somatization (eye pain, headaches, etc. ....) and those famous nervous tension headaches. It's very often a slight pain above the head. occasionally above the neck/neck where I feel very tense and diciofenac or ketoprofen or spifen400 don't do much. 
Only a little xanax or lysanxia helps. 
Could it be that Seroplex does not suit me? Is it that by trying to wean myself off it I have created a state of stress that has triggered chronic tension headaches? in short.... if you are in the same situation, do not hesitate to come forward or to give your tips to relieve or make these ailments pass.
I don't have blood pressure. I sleep 6 to 7 hours.... so I don't really know.... 
I look forward to hearing from you guys. 
Nicolas

[Shep]

4 hours ago, Nicolas45140 said:

Only a little xanax or lysanxia helps. 
Could it be that Seroplex does not suit me?

 

How often are you taking xanax and lysanxia? 

 

Regarding Seroplex (Lexapro), you upped your dose to 5 mg last month. Back then, I noted:

 

On 2/11/2023 at 7:22 AM, Shep said:

Going from 3 mg to 5 mg is a bad idea - way too high an updose.

 

Also see the information in this post here. 

 

Do you feel worse since you upped the dose from 3 mg to 5 mg? 

 

5 hours ago, Nicolas45140 said:

I don't have blood pressure.

 

Do you mean you don't have high blood pressure (something that can cause headaches)? 

[Nicolas45140]

Hello shep ! 
thanks for replying. First of all, I know I done things wrong but after an apointment with my boss who told me that my job wasn’t done properly and I had to make things different cause withdrawal and work is hard. Did you keep working in your tapering journey ?

xanax or lysanxia is 4 or 5 pills a week for the past 3 weeks and not every day. 
i updose from 3 to 5 then 5 to 10 then now 15 for 14days…. 
in fact I guess except the strange feeling in my head (head tension ? Head pressure ? ……?) and a sleep slowly improving, I am ok.  So no I don’t feel worse. It was the first two weeks of the updosing only a bit difficult.
 

 

[Shep]

20 hours ago, Nicolas45140 said:

xanax or lysanxia is 4 or 5 pills a week for the past 3 weeks and not every day. 

 

You may be dependent on benzos at this point. It's possible to become dependent on benzos with periodic use if you're using them several times a week for more than 2 - 4 weeks. 

 

20 hours ago, Nicolas45140 said:

i updose from 3 to 5 then 5 to 10 then now 15 for 14days…. 

 

As you've increased the Lexapro, you've been increasing your use of benzos. At this point, you don't know which drug is causing what. 

 

This is definitely not what we would recommend doing here. 

 

20 hours ago, Nicolas45140 said:

in fact I guess except the strange feeling in my head (head tension ? Head pressure ? ……?) and a sleep slowly improving, I am ok.  So no I don’t feel worse. It was the first two weeks of the updosing only a bit difficult.

 

It's possible your sleep is improving because you're taking benzos more often.

 

This is too complicated for peer support. Please work with your doctor until you have stabilized and then hold for several months. You'll likely need to set up a benzo schedule for DAILY use, not periodic use, before you'll be able to stabilize and start a taper.  It's very hard to taper while you're dosing benzos whenever you feel you need them, especially often enough to risk dependency. You're dealing with interdose benzo withdrawal, mixed in with dependency and side effects. 

 

Again, this is beyond online peer support. Please work with your doctor, stabilize, and hold for several months before coming back here to Surviving Antidepressants to get tapering advice. 

[Nicolas45140]

Must see !!! 
 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m001n39z

[Faure]

On 6/15/2023 at 4:51 PM, Nicolas45140 said:

Must see !!! 
 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m001n39z

Absolutely, thank you for highlighting this. I will cross post in the media section of this site for a wider audience to see☺️