Dropped to 17mg today.

[since95]

Well, after a week of fealing pretty stable, I dropped down to 17mg this morning. I just started to feel the usual dizziness about an hour ago but know that it will eventually go away over the next couple of days (stay positive right!)

Life has been fairly hectic lately, as I have been working on the road the past three weeks. I have another month of traveling and hope to power through it. I find that if I don't get at least 6 hours of sleep a night, my w/d is horrible the next day. Working on the road and attending trade shows can really screw up your sleeping pattern and the w/d doesn't help either.

If life were perfect, I would wait until things quiet down at work and then taper again. However, everyone has to work to pay the bills and I am forced to taper during these times. Poop-out doesn't allow me to stay w/d free on a certain dose. So I just have to cowboy-up and deal with the symptoms. My anxiety has been good but the physical stuff gets pretty intense at times. I wish I could rush the hole process but we all know that the slower the better.

I don't really have any questions but I just wanted to post and let people see where I am at right now. Hopefully, someone can relate with my story and realize that other people are going through the same thing. I also find that posting on PP is almost therapeutic. Bye for now.

[Songbird]

Good luck, 95! I am planning to drop in a couple of days too. I find it kind of therapeutic coming here too, I guess because here people understand, our stories are different but with many similarities in w/d experiences.

[paxilgirl]

I had no choice but to work during my wean so I can totally relate...and boy, if sleep wasn't happening, it made everything 20x worse. Hang in...you are doing fine.

[pokie]

Good Luck!!

[since95]

Thanks you three. The taper hasn't been easy, as I have been on this crap for 14 years. However, I can see a sliver of light at the end of the tunnel and I know it will get brighter with time.

[daisyydaisy]

Congrats. I'm sooo glad your able to hang in there. I know what you mean when the symptoms feel 100x worse with little sleep. Catnaps help...even closing your eyes for 10 minutes of pure quiet helps. Wish I could give you some of my extra sleep on the days i get it. I too will likely go throw a very slow wean. Seems like forever...but we'll get there eventually.

[pokie]

Originally Posted by since95

Thanks you three. The taper hasn't been easy, as I have been on this crap for 14 years. However, I can see a sliver of light at the end of the tunnel and I know it will get brighter with time.

What is that avatar?

[LCrawford67]

Originally Posted by pokie

What is that avatar?

It's Will Ferrell in a skit from SNL. "More cow bell!!"

Congratulations, 95! I know it's been difficult, at times, but you're doing great! Sometimes, being hectic can actually keep you preoccupied, which takes your mind of w/d.

[Tcg]

Hello 95, I can definately relate. I've also had to work through some awful times and it sure isn't easy. Hope your drop to 17 mg. goes smoothly.

[Frankie]

It is therapeutic coming here isn't it? You've learned a lot and you know that you have to go slow. We are right here with you. Hope you can get some rest here and there within your busy job schedule. Good luck to you.

[since95]

My first 24 hours on 17mgs has been horrible. The dizziness started to set in yesterday afternoon. I fought through it and tried to fall asleep around 11:30 last night. While I tried to dooze off into a sleep, the zaps would become exetremely intense. Then all of a sudden I had the worst panic attack I have had in years. I tried to calm myself down and relax my body but it just took over me. I jumped into the shower and let the hot water relax my nerves. I calmed down after 30 minutes and took some Valerian Root to fall asleep. It worked but I woke up this morning with terrible dizziness and anxiety.

I am working at a conference for my customers all weekend and I am 9 hours away from home. I don't know if I can make it through the next three days without losing it. I can't go back to 18mg to stabalize because my prescription is compounded to exactly 17mg. I really nervous and afraid that another attack is around the corner.

[LCrawford67]

I'm sorry you feel so horrible right now, but I am wondering if it's truly from your drop. You made a less than 10% drop and felt it just a few hours later. That's not typcial at all, as the half life is 16-21 hours, meaning you shouldn't feel anything that quickly.

Which makes me wonder if the traveling is the issue here and not the decrease. Have you taken any new supplement, or anything like that?

[since95]

Laurie

The only thing that I changed was the dosage in Paxil. I don't know if it is the drop or a wave of w/d. However, it does feel like the exact feeling I got when I dropped from 20mg to 18mg.

[LCrawford67]

I'm guessing though, you didn't feel that first drop that quickly, correct?

Regardless, the main thing is for you not to get overly worked up, especially since you're away from home. Whatever this is, it will pass and you know this; you've been here before.

So, just take it easy tonight and try (yes, easier said than done) not to worry about tomorrow. Just take one step at a time. You may very well be able to sleep fine tonight and wake up tomorrow, like nothing happened!

However, just a word of advice...don't taper again when you're going to be traveling!

[since95]

Thanks Laurie

I really need to start a w/d journal so that I can look back and realize that I have been in this situation before. It seems when things get bad, I always think that it is the worse feeling I have ever had, when in fact I have been here before. I should have waited until after this trip but my job takes me traveling 75% of the time. I'm heading off to bed and will try to have a good sleep tonight!