Question about Liquid paxil and spreadsheet

[sergei91]

First time poster looking for some help. So I've been trying very slowly coming off of Paxil over the last year or so unsuccessfully. It seems as if I am very very sensitive to the withdrawal effects even at a 5% reduction every 15 days or so i get a pretty pronounced withdrawal. I do have a supportive psych. who has given me unlimited refills of liquid paxil which is helpful. I just can't get below a certain point without going into withdrawal, so I always end up having to bump back up slightly for a while and start again. I have been using the spreadsheet from the website and plugging in my mL dose (right now I'm at 3.8ml) I tried to drop to 3.65 ml and went into withdrawal pretty badly so i bumped back up to 3.8ml. I've been using 5% every 15-20 days. Is this correct. I assume that whatever number you plug into the spreadsheet with the corresponding percent drop (i.e 5%, 10%) with the amount of days, will give you the right amount whether it's in mg or mL, correct? I'm taking plenty of vitamins, Omega 3, get plenty of daily excersize , trying everything i can but I can't kick this stupid Paxil. I haven't really tried magnesium, could that be of some help?
Thanks for listening and for any tips and advice
Sergei91

[LCrawford67]

Welcome, Sergie! Wait a little longer between drops and see if that helps you. Sometimes, the lower doses can be tricky and you need to slow it down.

The spread sheet is based on mgs. So, you'll need to convert to ml. For instance, from 20 mgs, a 10% drop will be to 18 mgs. In liquid, that would be approx. 9 ml.

[BJo]

As Laurie said, stay at your dosage for a longer period of time. That spreadsheet is just a guideline, too, so use it as a tool, not a hard-&-fast-schedule.

I am not that low in my dosage yet, but I've heard the lower you get, the longer you usually need to stay at a given dose. Let your body adjust as long as it needs. 2-3 weeks isn't that long. Try 5-6. I know it will feel like "THIS IS TAKING FOREVER!!!" But, it will end. And the more patient you are, the better you will feel.

Good luck, and welcome! Thanks for posting here!

[sergei91]

Thanks,
The timetable when you go that slow seems to take for EVER! I need to show some patience and go with a longer space between drops.
About the spreadsheet, wouldn't any number that I pop in along with the percentage drop give me the correct ratio, whether in mg or ml. For example from 3.8ml at 5% drop I get about 3.65 ml as the next step. That is correct I assume to be a 5% drop of any measure.
Sergei91

[LCrawford67]

This isn't a race, Sergei. The goal is to get off these drugs in a safe, comfortable manner. Quality of life is much more important and well worth the patience.

You're correct on the measure.

[Songbird]

Withdrawal symptoms can show up two or three weeks after a dose drop.

Ideally you should wait at least 4 weeks after a drop, and until you stabilise, before dropping again.

[sergei91]

Thanks for the support all.
So has anyone had experience with magnesium helping some of the w/d symptoms?
Sergei91

[pokie]

Hey Serg,

How did you find out about the liquid taper-just curious. Most of us find this site as real newbie's but look at you you are already in the groove with your liquid-Way to go!!

Welcome
Colleen

[sergei91]

My doc told me about it because I was so sensitive tapering via pills he suggested switching to liquid. I modified my taper from the spreadsheet on this website as his was too fast. He reviewed it and was cool with the changes I made.
Sergei91

[LCrawford67]

Originally Posted by sergei91

Thanks for the support all.
So has anyone had experience with magnesium helping some of the w/d symptoms?
Sergei91

I've never used it, but plenty members have. Here's a thread that will hopefully answer all your questions.

http://www.paxilprogress.org/forums/...ight=magnesium

[sergei91]

So i just want to re-clarify something about the mg to ml issue. My bottle says 10mg/5ml so when i am taking the 3.9ml I mentioned before I'm taking equilivant to 7.8 mg, correct. Then if I plug that into the spreadsheet my next step at 5% should be 3.7ml or 7.4.
I know this has been asked before but I think I'm confusing myself here
Sergei91

[pokie]

Wow I did not even know you could just plug numbers in the spread sheet. Never tried in on thought that I might mess up the conversions already there. Cool

[LCrawford67]

You are correct, Sergei! This is why I could never do the liquid! LOL!!!

Actually, the whole reason I ended up here is because I dorked up my measuring so bad. To be fair, neither my doctor or pharmacist, explained any of it too me. I guess they just figured I knew the conversion from mgs to mls. WRONG!!

So, when I started this last taper, my husband created that spreadsheet for me, I took it in to my NEW doctor and had him write the prescriptions for me to take to a compounding pharmicist. I then had my pills crushed, weighed, and recapsuled to the increments I needed.

I pretty much had to dumb it down before I tapered this time. LOL!!! But, I have learned a lot since then.

[sergei91]

Yeah, and i stink at math too, so this was a real brain twister
I noticed when I started using the spreadsheet that the dose column wasn't specific to mg or ml so if you put in any amount (mg or ml) and reduce it by the percentage you want you should get the correct taper, i.e, like I mentioned at 3.9ml dropping 10% every 30 days my next dose would be 3.7ml, then 3.5 etc etc. The spreadsheet is a real life saver (I stink at creating excel spreadsheets too, i never could have done that on my own, my doc could have but since this is already here I went with it!)
Sergei91

[LCrawford67]

Originally Posted by sergei91

So i just want to re-clarify something about the mg to ml issue. My bottle says 10mg/5ml so when i am taking the 3.9ml I mentioned before I'm taking equilivant to 7.8 mg, correct. Then if I plug that into the spreadsheet my next step at 5% should be 3.7ml or 7.4.
I know this has been asked before but I think I'm confusing myself here
Sergei91

This is absolutely correct.

[BJo]

Originally Posted by sergei91

The spreadsheet is a real life saverSergei91

Yes, it is, but remember: it is a tool. Continue to take your time. YOU are more important than the calendar, ok?

Good job, Sergei, and wonderful that you have such a supportive doctor! Hard to find, I have heard.

[pokie]

Laurie,
So Sergi is correct? You can put mls. in the chart to figure out dosage's.

[Songbird]

I think the spreadsheet defaults to 14 days, but you can change this to 28 days. And BJo is right, the timeline is only a guideline, it is more important that you stabilise between drops.