Encouragement please...

cincy · 08-19-2008, 08:18 PM

It's been an emotional year. Stopped Paxil (with a fast taper) 14 months ago, started my midlife crisis 12 months ago, Mom died 10 months ago, my step-daughter and her precious 5 year old, who had been living with us since the baby was born, moved out 1 month ago. 3 weeks ago it appeared my job may be in jeopardy. At that point I think my emotions were over-taxed and, even though the job seems OK now, I've suffered a huge relapse of my pre-paxil fear of speaking in meetings (even though I haven't had to do that in months, and don't have an immediate requirement to). I DON'T WANT TO GO BACK ON PAXIL, but every day that this irrational anxiety rears its ugly head I get closer and closer to going back. My biggest objection is that it deadens ALL my emotions. I didn't feel true joy for the 5 years I was on it. Please folks, talk me out of going back.

_______________
Spring 2002 - Paxil 30mg
Sometime 2005 - Paxil 20mg
April 15, 2006 - Paxil 10mg
May 15, 2006 - Paxil 5 mg
May 27, 2006 - Paxil free

scotty · 08-19-2008, 08:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cincy

even though I haven't had to do that in months, and don't have an immediate requirement to

Read the quoted sentence above.....that is rationale thought coming through! Worrying about the "what if's" is classic post paxil worry, but remember the what if's stop us from seeing the situation as it truly is. Time to be really concrete in your thinking. When the worry starts, stop and out loud tell yourself, "I don't have to worry about this right now", and put it aside.

iwowi · 08-19-2008, 08:57 PM

Hello Cincy!

You had a tough year. It is understandable that you are feeling a little shaken right now. Feeling anxious is a part of human experience and you should take it as such. Bad circumstances made you anxious but do not let that bring you back to Paxil. With time the problems will resolve and your anxiousness will subside. Do not let anxiety bread itself. Do not expect it to get worse. Quite opposite, expect the anxiety to go away. It was a bad year that caused it and now is the time for it to go away. Expect a new year to be a good year and make it such. Pick up a new hobby or, better yet, try to do something that would help you deal with anxiety like yoga or walking.

I hope you feel better soon.

cincy · 08-19-2008, 09:00 PM

Thanks, scotty. Oh if my emotions would only follow reason!!! Actually I've been having a battle with myself about the right mental approach. I've tried the "don't worry about it right now" approach, but my inner voice keeps telling me the next meeting might be just around the corner and I'll have taken no steps to resolve the core issues. I had my first appt. with a counselor today to try and work the cognitive things out. I hope I'm strong enough to lay off the Paxil long enough to let that approach work.

cincy · 08-19-2008, 09:04 PM

Thank you too, iwowi.

By the way...what's the current consensus on how long it really takes to recover from paxil? Being 14 months free, can I really eliminate residual paxil withdrawal from some responsibility here?

daisyydaisy · 08-19-2008, 09:08 PM

where does residual paxil w/d come from??

scotty · 08-19-2008, 09:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cincy

I had my first appt. with a counselor today to try and work the cognitive things out.

GREAT decision!

babs · 08-20-2008, 01:57 AM

Well, the best reasons I can think of to not take these drugs is they don't work forever, and they are hell to get off of. It might not even work for you again if you did go back on, but even if it did, you'd just be buying yourself a little time. It poops out on everyone sooner or later. So it's much better to learn to deal with anxiety in other ways, rather than putting this poison into your body.

I could relate to some of the things in your post, by the way (especially the part about midlife crisis). Within my first year after Paxil I turned 50, sent my only daughter off to college several hundred miles away, got my heart broken and started having symptoms of menopause. Lots of fun, while in the midst of withdrawal. But I've stayed off for 3 years and you can do it too! You don't need this chemical bandaid - you've got the power within yourself to overcome your anxiety.

iwowi · 08-20-2008, 11:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cincy

By the way...what's the current consensus on how long it really takes to recover from paxil? Being 14 months free, can I really eliminate residual paxil withdrawal from some responsibility here?

Looking at the posts of others who withdrawn over 14 months ago you cannot eliminate Paxil withdrawal as the cause of you current feelings. It seems that the post Paxil "fireworks" can manifest themselves for quite sometimes after the last dose.

cincy · 08-22-2008, 07:46 AM

thanks for all your help and encouragement, gang. i can always count on this site to help me get through the rough spots. the good (actually great) news is that my anxiety emergency seems to have passed. i'm still paxil free and hope to be that way the rest of my life.

Homerbcool · 08-22-2008, 07:57 AM

Great going Cincy...we are here to help out anytime with anything....

LCrawford67 · 08-22-2008, 08:00 AM

Good job, Cincy!

08-19-2008, 08:18 PM	#1
cincy Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 10	Encouragement please... It's been an emotional year. Stopped Paxil (with a fast taper) 14 months ago, started my midlife crisis 12 months ago, Mom died 10 months ago, my step-daughter and her precious 5 year old, who had been living with us since the baby was born, moved out 1 month ago. 3 weeks ago it appeared my job may be in jeopardy. At that point I think my emotions were over-taxed and, even though the job seems OK now, I've suffered a huge relapse of my pre-paxil fear of speaking in meetings (even though I haven't had to do that in months, and don't have an immediate requirement to). I DON'T WANT TO GO BACK ON PAXIL, but every day that this irrational anxiety rears its ugly head I get closer and closer to going back. My biggest objection is that it deadens ALL my emotions. I didn't feel true joy for the 5 years I was on it. Please folks, talk me out of going back. _______________ Spring 2002 - Paxil 30mg Sometime 2005 - Paxil 20mg April 15, 2006 - Paxil 10mg May 15, 2006 - Paxil 5 mg May 27, 2006 - Paxil free

08-19-2008, 08:57 PM	#3
iwowi Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Stewartstown PA Posts: 1,144	Re: Encouragement please... Hello Cincy! You had a tough year. It is understandable that you are feeling a little shaken right now. Feeling anxious is a part of human experience and you should take it as such. Bad circumstances made you anxious but do not let that bring you back to Paxil. With time the problems will resolve and your anxiousness will subside. Do not let anxiety bread itself. Do not expect it to get worse. Quite opposite, expect the anxiety to go away. It was a bad year that caused it and now is the time for it to go away. Expect a new year to be a good year and make it such. Pick up a new hobby or, better yet, try to do something that would help you deal with anxiety like yoga or walking. I hope you feel better soon. __________________ Iwona 1992 – 1994 Zoloft 1994 – 1999 Prozac 1999 – 2007 Paxil 40 mg April 2008 - January 2009 - severe insomnia - Rozerem February 2009 - Prozac 10mg PROZAC TAPER: 03/01-9mg 04/01-8mg 05/01-7mg 08/01-6.5mg 09/01-6mg 10/01-5.5mg 11/01-5mg

08-19-2008, 09:00 PM	#4
cincy Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 10	Re: Encouragement please... Thanks, scotty. Oh if my emotions would only follow reason!!! Actually I've been having a battle with myself about the right mental approach. I've tried the "don't worry about it right now" approach, but my inner voice keeps telling me the next meeting might be just around the corner and I'll have taken no steps to resolve the core issues. I had my first appt. with a counselor today to try and work the cognitive things out. I hope I'm strong enough to lay off the Paxil long enough to let that approach work.

08-19-2008, 09:04 PM	#5
cincy Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 10	Re: Encouragement please... Thank you too, iwowi. By the way...what's the current consensus on how long it really takes to recover from paxil? Being 14 months free, can I really eliminate residual paxil withdrawal from some responsibility here?

08-19-2008, 09:08 PM	#6
daisyydaisy Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Saskatchewan, Canada Posts: 608	Re: Encouragement please... where does residual paxil w/d come from?? __________________ "Truth is what stands the test of experience" (Einstein) Feb. 21-08 Paxil 25.0 - 22.5mg March 27-08 20.0mg May 2-08 17.5mg june 5-08 15.0mg july 11-08 12.5mg nausea,heaving july 24-08 15.0mg bit better july 29-08 17.5mg bit better august 4-08 20mg and staying put Synthroid .075MG 2003

08-20-2008, 01:57 AM	#8
babs Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: San Diego, CA Posts: 4,939	Re: Encouragement please... Well, the best reasons I can think of to not take these drugs is they don't work forever, and they are hell to get off of. It might not even work for you again if you did go back on, but even if it did, you'd just be buying yourself a little time. It poops out on everyone sooner or later. So it's much better to learn to deal with anxiety in other ways, rather than putting this poison into your body. I could relate to some of the things in your post, by the way (especially the part about midlife crisis). Within my first year after Paxil I turned 50, sent my only daughter off to college several hundred miles away, got my heart broken and started having symptoms of menopause. Lots of fun, while in the midst of withdrawal. But I've stayed off for 3 years and you can do it too! You don't need this chemical bandaid - you've got the power within yourself to overcome your anxiety. __________________ Babs Paxil 20mg 1994-2005 2 failed attempts to quit Tapered Jan-April 2005 Paxil-free since May 1, 2005 "Glinda the Good Witch informed her that she had the power to go home all along; all she had to do was click her heels together. Why hadn't she told Dorothy that in the first place? Because, explains Glinda, she wouldn't have believed it, she had to learn it for herself."

08-22-2008, 07:46 AM	#10
cincy Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 10	Re: Encouragement please... thanks for all your help and encouragement, gang. i can always count on this site to help me get through the rough spots. the good (actually great) news is that my anxiety emergency seems to have passed. i'm still paxil free and hope to be that way the rest of my life.

08-22-2008, 07:57 AM	#11
Homerbcool "colors outside the lines" Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 15,949	Re: Encouragement please... Great going Cincy...we are here to help out anytime with anything.... __________________ That's one of the curses of anxiety--we make possibilities into certainties.....Tim

08-22-2008, 08:00 AM	#12
LCrawford67 Moderator "Everybody poops" Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Ohio Posts: 26,493	Re: Encouragement please... Good job, Cincy! __________________ aka LC aka Laurie C. Paxil, 20 mg since 1997, for IBS Two unsuccessful attempts to quit. Started tapering 11/27/06 PAXIL FREE 12/29/07 If the only prayer you said in your whole life was, "thank you," that would suffice. ~Meister Eckhart Thanksgiving, man. Not a good day to be my pants. ~Kevin James

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