Trouble Reading?

[violetharmon]

I don't know if this has been asked before, but I didn't see it posted anywhere. I've been off Paxil for about four months now and it is going really well. That isn't what I wanted to discuss. I was wondering if anyone who has gone off of it has had trouble reading? My mind seems to go kind of haywire when I try to concentrate my attention on enjoying a book. I am an avid reader and it has become so stressful that I'm at the point where I don't even bother to read anymore. I was hoping to get some feedback on this, see if anyone else had had a similar issue and what I could do to help the situation and if it is something that improves over time. Any feedback is appreciated, thank you!

[TryingtoGetWell]

This has come up in a number of threads over the years. Here's one:
https://www.paxilprogress.org/forums...ad.php?t=36908

You can probably find more using the search function here. Click "Search" on the light green bar above. There have also been similar threads about setbacks re creativity in various aspects; the med itself or the healing process afterward sometimes causes problems in some of us with reading, musical ability, and other skills that can last a while.

[violetharmon]

Thank you very much.

[TryingtoGetWell]

You're welcome!

[jheaney1]

For me, it was like flipping a switch. I stopped reading several years ago. When I was able to stop taking Paxil, I started reading, even writing short stories. When I was forced to start taking Paxil again, it all stopped again. I'm confident that I'll get back to it when I've been able to taper to a lower dose.

[PaxilDream]

I am actually the exact opposite. My mind wondered pre paxil but on paxil and even during poop out I could read, focus, and retain information like I always dreamed of. It seemed to work like a performance enhancing drug in that aspect for me and like any unnatural synthetic I am now paying the price for using. For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction.

[Brassmonkey]

I'm still tapering but have a hard time making it through some of the long posts people write here. Sitting down with a book is no problem.

[violetharmon]

When I was on Paxil I had no trouble reading, but going off of it has caused the trouble it seems. I read a lot of stuff on my computer or Kindle, and the screen is always way too bright, so I turn it down and then the dimness gives me a headache. And floaters are a problem as well. But the biggest problem is I can't seem to concentrate. I'll read a paragraph and then have to go back a page to re-read exactly how a certain sentence was written because I can't remember. Not that the composition of the sentence matters, I retained the gist of it, I just need to know exactly how it was written. And then I'll forget again after I've re-read it and have to go back. Or I'll feel like when I'm reading a description that if I don't visualize it I won't retain the memory of it and that begins to stress me out and then I'll feel really overwhelmed, trying to visualize this. It sucks because I absolutely love reading. If I start to get too overwhelmed I'll try to calm myself down, close my eyes and take deep breaths, but it is so much drama for something that I used to find so effortless and enjoy so much. It seems like something else that Paxil has taken away from me. But I'm going to keep at this and not give up and hopefully it will improve. It already has some, just not as much as I'd like. Thank you for taking the time to reply to this!

[SGramer]

After paxil pooped out on me and the W/D symptoms started my concentration and cognition skills have been destroyed.

[violetharmon]

I know exactly what you mean. That has been improving minimally, I haven't been off Paxil that long, so hopefully my brain just needs more time to heal.

[SGramer]

Originally Posted by violetharmon

I know exactly what you mean. That has been improving minimally, I haven't been off Paxil that long, so hopefully my brain just needs more time to heal.

How was your reading through the tapper ?
And do you mean it got worse after you were completely off, and has slowly improved ?

[violetharmon]

I didn't really taper. My doctor had suggested I cut my dosage in half for two weeks and then after those two weeks stop completely. I did that against the advice of the people on this board and I gave up smoking at the same time. My memory during this reckless, insane, miserable, not at all recommended "taper" is pretty sketchy but I do remember finishing at least one short story collection. At any rate I didn't notice it until after I had been completely off the Paxil and it has been slowly improving over the past few weeks.

[SGramer]

Originally Posted by violetharmon

I didn't really taper. My doctor had suggested I cut my dosage in half for two weeks and then after those two weeks stop completely. I did that against the advice of the people on this board and I gave up smoking at the same time. My memory during this reckless, insane, miserable, not at all recommended "taper" is pretty sketchy but I do remember finishing at least one short story collection. At any rate I didn't notice it until after I had been completely off the Paxil and it has been slowly improving over the past few weeks.

Wow, that is basically cold turkey. No wonder you had such a bumpy road. That is very promising you are seeing improvement this soon.

[PaxilDream]

Originally Posted by SGramer

Wow, that is basically cold turkey. No wonder you had such a bumpy road. That is very promising you are seeing improvement this soon.

That is very good. I went 40 days in the beginning with only 2 and a half pills and there was NO improvement! It was the hardest 40 days of my life. I then went on a fast wean after that of about 2 and a half months and that was hard. To go back in the past I would have weaned no less than a year. I just couldn't for the life of me believe that I would be one of the ones that couldn't just stop it. I felt like a let down but that couldn't be futher from the truth. I am very happy for anyone that gets well fast but for sure know people weren't exagerating how long these drugs can take to get off.

As for reading I'm hoping to work on my concentration and get it back like I was when I was on paxil. I did have such good calm attitude and concentration whent he drug worked but I will never go back on an SSRI for something hard work can replace.

[Chrissy]

I definitely had trouble reading, I couldn't focus on words let alone read them initially. Then when could focus, I couldn't remember what I'd just read, constantly had to re-read things. In the end I just gave up and accepted it as part of my withdrawal experience. It does improve but takes time, I am reading a lot better now, 2 years since quitting the drug, but I still have the memory issue, some things stick in my memory but most don't.

[violetharmon]

Originally Posted by Chrissy

I definitely had trouble reading, I couldn't focus on words let alone read them initially. Then when could focus, I couldn't remember what I'd just read, constantly had to re-read things. In the end I just gave up and accepted it as part of my withdrawal experience. It does improve but takes time, I am reading a lot better now, 2 years since quitting the drug, but I still have the memory issue, some things stick in my memory but most don't.

Yes, you described it perfectly. It's just very frustrating realizing that I'm only 50 pages into a novel after reading it for a say, a week, when before all of this I would have been able to finish it in three days. I do feel positive about the improvements I've seen so far, so I'm going to stay positive and try to be patient. Thanks everyone for all of your feedback, it definitely made me feel a lot better!

[aberdeen]

I just have no desire to read. I have anhedonia and everything I used to enjoy feels boring. It really sucks! I'm normally a big reader.