At 2 months off Paxil, what were your symptoms?

[specK]

I thought my symptoms would ease in the physical aspects and the emotional mental symptoms would maintain their unpredictability.

I'm interested to see if this is simular to others at this point in the WD.

What I've experienced during my 8th week off paxil.

1. The tinnitus has escallated the past week to the point where I can't hear sometimes. Thankfully I do get respite, it comes and goes.

2. Easily exhausted. Periods of productivity only to crash again. Body feels like giant bruise, like the flu.

3. Nervous system overload. Shake uncontrolably if overstimulated. ie stress, cold weather, action tv or movies, emotional tv or movies. I watched Snow Dogs with my son last night-I couldn't handle it.

4. Vision blurry, or the 'bump' effect (like a videocamera that gets bumped and the screen jumps)

5. Emotionally hyperactive, overreact responding to an emotion ie crying when inappropriate

6. Gastro symptoms. This is horrible but today it finally happened. Out of the blue!!!! It's come close a few times, I didn't realize I had the runs.... I'll leave the rest to your imagination. Indigestion, abdominal cramping, constipation, diarrhea--they all take their turns.

7. Headaches.

8. Sex is crappy again.

9. Boughts of brain fog.

10. On the positive note, I've had some happy days this week.

11. My last menstration was horrid. I'm scared to death of it coming again. Anyone know anything herbal I can take to prepare for the onslaught of symptoms excluding B vitamins? (they make it worse)

I could be forgetting things, but this gives a fairly accurate picture.

[specK]

12. My left eyelid and lt sd of upper lip goes into twitching spasms frequently x2days.

[feelin'_wiggy]

Well...let's see. My two month mark occurred about a month after the hurricane, so I was still in Atlanta. All things considered, I was doing rather well. Aftershocks and sadness from the storm. Naturally, I still had w/l symptoms:

• Low energy level
• Insomnia, insomnia, insomnia
• Weird auditory symptoms, like someone would move a chair or cough, and it would sound like an airplane flying toward me. The sound would get progressively louder, so much so that I would jump.
• Really weak muscles
• Anxiety symptoms had improved, but I still had mild chest pains and the old racing heart, especially at night.

It was at the three month mark that I slid into a terrible funk for about six weeks.

[txguy]

Lets see - at two months - I had tremendous headaches on the right side of my head and insomnia beyond belief. These were my two main symptoms for the first three months of w/d.

[specK]

I guess the healing process is so individual. I honestly had myself fooled into thinking that once I was finished the tapering process and it was completely out of my system that I would have less side effects. But I've experienced enough pax wd to know that it comes in waves, it changes all the time. The bod is recovering and healing and I guess this takes a very long time. I just wish I knew exactly what was going on ie is my adrenal system pooped out, what systems are causing these specific symptoms, what can I do to help myself heal in all these ailing areas. You know what I mean?

I'd love to see a professional in this w/d field that can tell me exactly what is going on with me, exactly the damage paxil did to me, and what I can do to help my body to physiologicaly heal.

My brain is fried today, word and thought recollection is difficult for me.

[unique]

I'd love to see a professional in this w/d field that can tell me exactly what is going on with me, exactly the damage paxil did to me, and what I can do to help my body to physiologicaly heal.

That's so much of the problem - a professional who can tell you exactly what is going on - the damage, etc., is nonexistent! This is all guess work, with each person/dr having a different opinion.

[feelin'_wiggy]

It will get better, Speck. I'm coming up on six months free, and I have seen great improvement. Try to avoid getting too hung up in "what's wrong with you". Like you said, doctors who understand w/l are scarce. Unless you're having severe symptoms that don't fit into what we know to be w/l, rely on your own knowledge and instincts. As much as possible maintain a nutritious, balanced diet. Include complex carbs for B vitamins and energy. Drink 1/2 to 1 ounce of water per pound of body weight. Take a good multivitamin, fish oil and mag, if you can tolerate them. Exercise if you can. Focused breathing and meditation to clear your mind. Laughter. Rest. In other words, the basics. And try to be patient because time truly is the best healer.

[Delynbetter]

Made me look! I went through some of my posts around the 2-month period and they didn't sound too bad. Then I read through a PM that I wrote Laurie right around that time.

I'm not sure about the rest of the symptoms, but I can tell you that I was MAD, one foot halfway out the front door with the kids.

So my biggest "symptom" that I can recollect was emotional turmoil to the extreme.

[scotty]

Delyn, I remember that pm!!!! Ryan at two months off was doing pretty well. But looking back now at the World News Tonight footage you can see that his eyes are glazed over and he's still in withdrawal pretty bad. Now at 4 months off, that's a whole other story. Everyone is different.

[heyK]

I'm at seven weeks off now (my second withdrawal). I have dizziness and head pressure, derealization, confusion/brain fog, anxiety, and extreme light sensitivity.

[scotty]

Keith, congrats on the last dose!! I missed that somehow. Time will heal, just be patient.

[sherijo]

Speck- Much worse at week 8 than i am about to go into week 12.. huge difference for me! had all the things you mentioned.. now.. more tolerable, or to a lesser degree?
sheri

[specK]

Just want to give a great big thanks to everyone for your support!

Sounds like I'm doing everything I can be. I need to do more research in the physiological going ons of the recovery period. My mind has been to foggy to absorb much of the material.

I am hoping to find any herbal supplements or remedies to aid and enhance the healing process. That's kinda why I want to correlate the specific symptom with the root of the problem so I can address that particular system of my body.

I'm taking the magnesium, salmon, flax and evening primrose oils, I'm doing pilates when I can, proper breathing, eating better than ever (having fun trying new healthy recipes), spiritually growing (what a huge help with a positive hope and focus on life putting all these challenges in perspective), I'm still not back to my part time job, but am working w/ hubby a few hours in the am. Really things are on track. Life has definately thrown some curve balls-but what would life be without those curve balls eh?

-kim-

[Suze]

Originally Posted by specK

But I've experienced enough pax wd to know that it comes in waves, it changes all the time.

Yes, I think this would best describe where I'm at at nearly 2 months off.

SpecK, I have to admit that my husband and I read this post a couple days ago but I couldn't respond. I just cried. I mentioned to Joanne in a post a few days ago this sort of "survivor's guilt" I feel sometimes when I read how much some of you are suffering. It's hard to describe, really, because I'm grateful that I'm doing well but I get these waves of anger that ANYBODY has to suffer so incredibly, and seemingly so endlessly for NO REASON OTHER THAN BUYING INTO A WELL-DESIGNED MANIPULATIVE LIE BY DRUG COMPANIES. And then I got bit in the butt by some fairly intense psychological symptoms which I've not had previously in my withdrawal/recovery, and that really felt like a smack upside the head. (back on keel now, thank god)

After a very honest self-evaluation, I had the moment that I'm doing as well as I am because I don't venture past my safety/comfort zone. I'm not challenging myself, really, and I don't even WANT to challenge myself much at this point. Even the mere suggestion to venture out of my safety zone felt pretty catastrophic yesterday. So I'm at one breath at a time, where I at least have the experience (illusion?) that I can cope. It's a huge lesson in patience and kindness towards myself.

How are you doing today?

[Light]

Intense flu-like symptoms and excruciating anxiety. Also feeling like I was on a mild hallucinogen—lots of derealization. Major muscle problems (stiffness, vibrating, shaking, twitching). I had an eye twitch that was active intermittently (at least hourly). My body felt like I was 100 years old (stiffness, restricted range of motion, moving slowly). Intense waves of overwhelming anger. There were also three good days at about the six week mark. Waves of intense depression 1-2 days a week. Vision problems affecting distant vision.

[BriOnH]

In my previous 2 attempts I had very light wd during the first two months. The first CT event wasnt until about the middle of month 4 anxiety to an extreme level started to surface and by the time month 5 came up, I was at my wits end and went back to paxil. The second attempt i noticed bad wd symptoms at month 3, where again i came to my wits end again and went back on. The fact i was off paxil for so long with very few or harsh wd symptoms i totally believed that a relapse was occuring, it just made sense. Now, I know better. Wish the docs at kaiser would know better.

[specK]

Originally Posted by Suze

After a very honest self-evaluation, I had the moment that I'm doing as well as I am because I don't venture past my safety/comfort zone. I'm not challenging myself, really, and I don't even WANT to challenge myself much at this point. Even the mere suggestion to venture out of my safety zone felt pretty catastrophic yesterday. So I'm at one breath at a time, where I at least have the experience (illusion?) that I can cope. It's a huge lesson in patience and kindness towards myself.

How are you doing today?

Hey Suze- I was getting better this week. Had 2 great days! Then this episode with my mother-in-law triggered the physical symptoms again. I swear if it weren't for all this external stress I'd be much better on a more consistant basis. I mean I'm sailing until all our unresolved family issues resurface.

I want to tell you- keep loving and nurturing yourself the way you have. I firmly believe I'd be where you're at if it wasn't for this family stuff. But in the end it's all necessary. I mean my husband and sister-in-law are confronting childhood issues that have continued down to this day. It so happens that my mother-in-law lives in our basement apartment-so it's difficult for me to get away.

You are doing the right thing. Your body needs a break to heal. Do not challenge it-you'll know when you're strong enough!

[specK]

Mike,

My left eyebrow's driving me in sane. In conversation with someone and I feel that their focus is on my twitching eyebrow! and yes I'm 32 going on 100....

[Light]

Originally Posted by specK

Mike,

My left eyebrow's driving me in sane. In conversation with someone and I feel that their focus is on my twitching eyebrow! and yes I'm 32 going on 100....

Have you looked in the mirror while it's happening. I found that even though it's clearly noticible it's not as drastic as it feels. My eye twitches are one of the few symptoms that I regard as simply annoying. I almost wish someone would notice so that they would have greater empathy for my withdrawal.

[Suze]

Originally Posted by specK

I want to tell you- keep loving and nurturing yourself the way you have.

Thanks for that wonderful reminder, SpecK. And I hope that you are doing the same for yourself. You are a wise woman. Hugs.

[zappelina]

As far as I can remember (which isn´t much from all the brain fog) I was like now but even more dizzy and couldn´t stand up because of muscle weakness. Had and still have breathing problems, flu feeling, feet hanging down, dislocated knees and shoulders, very low body temperature and full of blisters and sores in mouth, nose and ears, spitting and coughing blood and mucus. Light and sound sensitivity, slurred speech and blurred vision, left side of body hanging down. Cramps and twitching. And zaps, zaps, zaps! Awful drugs these SSRIs! People heal differently SpecK, some have emotional symptoms longer and some have physical symptoms longer. I am still sensitive to stress and startle easily and sometimes this sets off the muscle cramps but my psychological healing has been much faster than the physical. Psychologically I am roughly 60- 7o% better than I was 15 months ago but I still have sleepless nights now and then. Don´t let my post scare you, I have been ill for an unusually long time and I want you to know that most people heal a lot faster and you probably will too.

[specK]

Mike-You're right in that it's more noticable for us. My kids have caught it, I've seen it in the mirror, but for the most part I don't think anyone notices on their own.

Zappelina-what an enduring spirit you have! I was relieved to hear that you're psychologically recovering well. I almost feel that no matter how challenging physical illness can be, as long as you have somewhat mental/emotional stability, it makes dealing with physical ailments easier. Hang in there!

Brion-It reminds me of a Simpson episode where the rat Lisa was expirimenting on was smarter than Bart. He'd keep reaching for it, get zapped, say ouch, reach for it, zap-ouch over and over again. lol You're or we are the rat that had the intellect to learn and what will it take for the medical community wake up????